Out and About...

No flying cars here. Via Gerard and The Raw Feed (linkies are convoluted at times)… Paleo-Future links us to (and discusses) a 1979 book’s “vision of the future.” And, in the example discussed, the book gets many more things right than wrong. Pretty interesting.

We, all of us, have a LOT of the stuff that the article predicted we would have…chief among them are our PCs, e-mail, electronic magazines (blogs) and the ubiquitous, big ol’ flat screen TeeVees.

One wonders what the author(s) of said article are doing today…

You just gotta go here…if you’re male. Turn your sound DOWN if you’re at work, but keep it at a level where you can hear what’s being said. Or not, if you want to attract undue attention to your “I’m not working” web-surfing. And you will get attention.

If that’s not enough, Gentle Reader…check out “Geek Tattoos.” Pretty funny.

(h/t: The Raw Feed. Again.)

Why is it I have to read about this in a British paper? Regardless of the source, this is well and truly over-frickin’-due:

Race, fashion and freedom of expression have collided in Atlanta this week over the vexed issue of baggy trousers.

A black councilman wants to ban the "low-rider" style — a figment of hip-hop culture — because it often exposes a man's underwear or a woman's thong, but has come up against a blast of opposition from civil rights groups and ordinary, fashion-free Americans.

Councilman C T Martin described the popular phenomenon of drooping jeans as an “epidemic” that is becoming a “major concern” across the United States. His proposal for a ban follows similar measures in a series of small towns in Louisiana.

Announcing his proposed amendment to the city's indecency laws, Mr Martin said of the fallen waistline, most prevalent among young black men and women: “Little children see it and want to adopt it, thinking it's the 'in thing'. I don't want young people thinking that half-dressing is the way to go. I want them to think about their future.”

And while you’re at it, make wearing your baseball cap backwards a misdemeanor. OTOH, I suppose this “fashion” affectation makes identifying the clue-impaired among us much easier. But it’s still a misdemeanor, in my book, just barely below felony status. Actually, repeat offenders should be charged with a felony.

/Old Fart rant.

Ahhh…one of the two real signs of Fall…the first installment of the NYT’s College Football Preview. I’m of the opinion, not exactly appreciated in certain parts of EIP’s readership, that football should ONLY be watched on Saturdays. And Friday nights too, assuming you live in Tejas, where high school football is something of a religion.

Oh, and that other real sign of Fall? Hockey training camp. It’s coming, albeit VERY slowly…

Happy Birthday, Buck!

Forty-one years ago today The First Mrs. Pennington delivered a bouncing baby boy at the Vandenberg AFB hospital near Lompoc, California. I’m not gonna lie and say “I remember it like it was yesterday,” coz I don’t. Certain moments, yes. But the “whole enchilada?” No. Mind you, that was back in the day when fathers were excluded from the delivery room (by law and USAF regulations) and relegated to pacing the floor in the hospital waiting room or something like it. Which, in my case, was the day room in the barracks of the 669^th Radar Squadron. Minor digression.

None the less…Buck is 41 today. And to say “I’m proud of him” would be a most egregious understatement. As the citations to military awards and decorations always say: “By his significant accomplishments and superior performance, Captain Pennington has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.” His wife, children, and parents, too.

Happy Birthday, Buck.

Wanna Buy a Motorcycle?

I’ve just about had it with the ‘Zuki. She’s handsome in an ugly-duckling, form-follows-function sort of way and her particular shade of blue strikes my fancy quite well, thankyouverymuch. She isn’t beautiful, by any means, but I knew that going in. She gets good gas mileage (50+ mpg), handles well…considering she’s neither a sport bike nor a full-boat touring-hog… and has about the right amount of power. The power isn’t sport-bike intense, which is to say “peaky,” but is well-distributed across the rev-range. Torque-y, in other words. She is a vee-twin, after all. So. What’s not to like?

Just this: She keeps falling over.

I dropped the damned thing again today. It was the same sort of scenario as last time— a low-speed, as in “standing nearly still,” slow-motion get-off, more like a “fall-over,” actually. But I did the dirty deed right in my frickin’ front yard this time, instead of a parking lot. I should explain…

I park the thing on the concrete pad/sidewalk next to El Casa Móvil De Pennington and always ride across the neighbor on the right’s grass and up on to the pad. It’s a fairly simple maneuver, with a couple of minor complications. First: You can’t approach the pad perpendicular to it; you must come in at an angle. Unless you want to run into El Casa Móvil, which isn’t a particularly good idea for all concerned: RV, bike, and YrHmblScrb…who kinda likes his body “as is.” Second: The pad is about an inch and a half to two inches higher than the grass. One maintains enough momentum on the approach to roll up on to the pad with the front wheel (bump!), ease off the throttle, turn the bike slightly to the right, while maintaining sufficient momentum to ease the rear wheel up on to the pad. And today the combination of INsufficient momentum, coupled with the rear tire hitting the lip of the pad and sliding out to the right…ever so gently, at first… before the bike fell right over. I couldn’t catch it. Once that thing starts to go…it’s GOING, whether you like it, or not.

The good news: I fell in the grass. The soft landing meant no damage to the fiberglass, I “just” broke the right turn signal. And got a lot of dirt in the foot pegs and various and sundry other nooks, crevices, and crannies.

The bad news: I’ve lost confidence in my ability to manage the damned thing at slow speeds. The bike, as I see it, is just too tall for me. That and the fact that it’s one heavy SOB. This is the second time I’ve dropped it, and that’s twice more than any of my previous bikes, going back to at least 1969 or so. (I have a great story about dropping my old Yamaha DT-1 in the BX parking lot at Wakkanai AS, Japan in '69 or '70. Remind me to tell you that one. Some time.)

So. Wanna buy a bike? Inquire within.

Oh…NO pictures this time. She looked pathetic laying there on her side in the grass. I couldn’t bear to embarrass her by showing her a$$ in public. Goes for me, too. Writing this is bad enough.

Out of This World. And In It, Too.

This is pretty cool stuff…Google Sky.

Stardate 61105.2, planet Earth. I've booted up my computer and loaded Google Sky and ready to trek across the galaxy.

Today Google released a beta version of Google Earth (4.2.0180.1134 (beta)) that includes a Google Sky feature that allows you to get up-close and personal with over 100 million galaxies and 200 million stars.

As Google did with Google Earth, Google Sky is made up of stitched photographs of the heavens pieced together to make a one giant navigate-able database of the universe.

To get started you have to download the most recent version of Google Earth software. Once you've done that launch the application and go to the View drop down menu and select the "Switch to Sky" item. Now you're ready to blast off.

This isn’t something I’ll use all that much, if ever, simply because I’m not all that interested in astronomy. But there are lots of folks that are interested, especially kids. And Google Sky should be a wondrous tool for teaching kids the basics about astronomy. Not everyone is impressed, however:

I don’t like it.

You read that right. I don’t like it. Well, to be clear, I don’t like it yet. I think this version is lacking some basic necessities, but once they (and some tweaks) are added this will be a pretty cool app.

For one thing, when I clicked the button to start it, it said it was loading the sky above my current location. However, it doesn’t tell me what that current location is. It doesn’t tell me what time of day it’s using — the sky moves, so time is crucial. It doesn’t move the sky in real time (or provide that option). It doesn’t tell me if the Sun is up or not. It doesn’t tell me where the horizon is.

And the proprietor of Bad Astronomy goes on to give Google a laundry list of fixes to implement in its next release. Point(s) well taken, but…Hey! Google said it’s a beta release.

The BBC has more, including alternate astronomy applications for the PC and Mac.

This is weird. You probably noticed the intro graf to the PC World article is expressed as a Stardate, with a link. I’m not a trekkie, but I am curious. So I chased the link. And here’s a screen cap (on the left) of the page one gets when following the link to convert any date/time to a Stardate. Notice the default date and time in the conversion block at the bottom of the screen cap: this is one minute off the generally accepted time of impact for the World Trade Center’s North Tower on 9/11. I just think that’s strange. Of all the possible dates/times to use as a sample, why this particular date? Strange…

Further on Cannon…from the Air Force Association’s Daily Report newsletter:

Thumbs Up for Cannon: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says the environmental impact assessment on turning Cannon Air Force Base into an Air Force Special Operations Command facility has received final approval. The former fighter base is slated to become home to special operations AC-130 gunships, new CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft, MC-130 Combat Talons, and helicopters. AFSOC officials earlier said that plans to take control of the base on Oct. 1 were on schedule despite funding worries cited by New Mexico lawmakers.

Good news, but if you follow all the links within the links (most of which are fairly old, dating back to Spring of this year) you won’t find any definitive statement about funding. Lots of “should be enough,” “we think we have enough,” along with various and sundry reassurances from shooters, including Deputy SecDef Gordon England. This past Tuesday the Clovis News-Journal reported everything is a “go,” including the naming of Cannon’s new base commander, Col. Tim Leahy.

What? Not Again? From the UK tabloid Daily Mail…“How Miss Slackistan and the Burka Beauties fell foul of the racism zealots.”

It probably seemed like a good idea at the time. Stuck for inspiration about what to wear at their village carnival, one group made a last-minute decision to dress up in mock Muslim burkas.

Calling themselves the "Page Three Beauties from the Ramalama Ding-Dong Times", the 17 men and women carried placards with made-up names such as "Miss Hairyarmpitsbad", "Miss Slackistan", "Miss Notbadinbedabad" and "Miss Reallyamanistan".

As they walked the one-mile parade route, the group knelt down in mock prayer and used fake compasses to try to find Mecca.

Their routine impressed carnival judges - a mayor, two district councillors and a parish councillor - and they were shortlisted for the "best entry" prize.

But before any awards were handed out, police told the group to leave after complaints about racism.

[…]

Local religious representatives criticised the carnival entry. Fareed Ahmad, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association for Devon and Cornwall, said: "With carnivals it's quite difficult to judge between humour and causing offence, and on this occasion it looks like they have that balance wrong."

The Reverend Chris McQuillen-Wright, of St Columb Minor parish church, added: "One can see the intended humour and the play on words but, in light of the current international climate, it was insensitive and in bad taste.

"I cannot believe they thought people were going to laugh. No one would want to curtail freedom of speech, but it's hard to differentiate this from downright bullying."

“Racism.” “Insensitive and in bad taste.” “Bullying.” I gotchyer racism, bad taste, and bullying right here, Buddy. This is really getting old. REALLY old. And when community religious representatives chime in and climb aboard the PC Bandwagon, one gets the feeling that all is just about lost. I’d have laughed my a$$ off, but then again…I AM sorta insensitive and bullying when it comes to the subject of intolerance — of the real sort — and suppression of speech.

The subject of traffic…specifically MY traffic… is of more than passing interest to me. Or, in other words, I tend to live in Site Meter, checking out the stats, the search terms, the origins and durations of visits to EIP, and all that fun stuff. So, I find this lil graph interesting, in an academic sort of way:

Yesterday’s traffic was less than half that of last Wednesday’s traffic, and as a result, my “moving average of visits” stat took a pretty big hit, as you can see. But then again, we’re in much better shape, traffic-wise, than we were a mere two months ago.

Traffic is cyclical; I know this. And EIP is a lowly blog, as blogs go. But every time I see my stats drop off precipitously I still wanna say something like “Was it something I said?”

Today’s Pic: This morning’s sunrise. Not as spectacular as some I’ve seen, but not that bad, either. Besides that, I was getting tired of posting pics from the archives. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that…it just gets old. (Badda-da-bump)

Tardy

So. I’m late posting again today, as is getting to be somewhat “usual.” Or perhaps not. It matters not a whit, anyway. I’m under no compulsion, by law or otherwise…save my own internal demons… to post at all, right? But. There seemed to be a lot of “stuff” out there that captured my attention, not the least of which is a toe-to-toe intellectual exchange on the “dismal science” between Lex and a certain NYT columnist Lex had the temerity to take to task. Interesting, if not all that illuminating, it is. I say “not all that illuminating” because it is economics, and statistics (aiiieee!) divining/supporting economic theory, we’re talking about here. But I recommend you go read. It’s not everyday a leading economist…or an NYT columnist writing about economics… shows up on a blog to defend his scribblings.

Strangely enough, SN2 and I discussed, however briefly, the article Lex was on about during a phone conversation last evening. I told him I was tempted...but didn't... to (a) post the link to that article and (b) discuss the fact that MY income had dropped by approximately 70% during the referenced time frame, but only because I decided to retire. And you know the old story about retirement, Gentle Reader, don’t you? Retirement, as stated by wives too numerous to count, is “Twice as much husband, half as much money.” All too true, that. Even though I’m not married any longer, I recognize the wisdom in the thought. (The NYT article in question is here, if you’re interested).

Monday I posted a couple of pics and a link to Gerard’s photo-essay about Seattle’s HempFest. Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words, just how much is this worth, Gentle Reader?

I can honestly and unequivocally state that Bob Marley Fest was a whole helluva lot better. Better music, better people, much less stupidity…by an order of magnitude or so. Forgive me if the vid offended your sensibilities, Gentle Reader. It offended mine, too. But then again, I think that might have been Gerard’s intent.

Today’s Pic: Exactly what the photo title sez: A collage of Plane Pr0n from the Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin AFB, Florida. There are many USAF museums out there; and Eglin has a very, very good one. I’d be hard pressed to name the “best” of these museums, assuming of course, one eliminates the Smithsonian’s complex of aerospace museums…which are multi-confessional, as opposed to USAF- or USN-specific, anyway.

November, 1999. (As always, click for larger.)

Concurrence (and Other Things)

I concur:

Another question for Ms. West: If American adults are emotional slackers stuck in arrested development, who is responsible for the innovations and incredible wealth generated by the economy? Accepting restraint and boundaries is important, as Ms. West says, but painting outside the lines is important too. Instead of founding their company in a friend's garage while they were in their mid-20s, Larry Page and Sergey Brin might still be waiting their chance in a traditional top-down business. And if their project were finally approved, it would not carry a name as juvenile as Google.

My concurrence is for the arguments John Leo presents (in today’s WSJ) as a rebuttal and minor book review (of sorts) to Diana West’s “The Death of the Grown-up: How America's Arrested Development Is Bringing Down Western Civilization.” While it’s certainly true that America’s tastes have been significantly dumbed-down over the past quarter-century or so, and it’s equally true that we’re more adolescent than most as a culture, I’m not entirely convinced this is a Bad Thing. Like Mr. Leo, I grew up in the 1950s. And I’m not even ready to return to Happy Days because, in truth, they weren’t all THAT happy. As a matter of fact, the Eisenhower era is the stereotypical “uptight” period of our history. If you didn’t conform during that time, you were essentially toast. And if you were anything but a WASP back then you were pretty much toast, too. But those points are essentially a minor digression, and I don’t wanna get into a major digression wherein I cite chapter and verse about the ills of the ‘50s. Ms. West and Mr. Leo’s main points are the prevalence of an adolescent attitude in US society. And I agree with Mr. Leo, as previously stated.

Mainly because I don’t intend to ever “grow up.” It’s just too damned late for that…

I concur, Part Deux:

In what will surely be seen as a defining moment for the 9/11 truther movement, the History Channel has delivered a blow for sanity and rationalism by airing a superior documentary entitled 9/11 Conspiracies: Fact or Fiction.

There’s no other way to say it; the truthers got reamed.

They got reamed to the point that the truthers who produced the internet video Loose Change are scrambling to alter the third version of their conspiracy mongering tripe, even going so far as to drop any reference to the twin towers being blown up by the government (they continue to insist WTC #7 was brought down by explosives).

The documentary took no prisoners as it destroyed almost all of the major conspiracy theories associated with 9/11 while revealing the real motivations of the truthers; that they are part of a political movement driven by raw, unreasoning hatred of George Bush, the American government, and to some extent, America itself.

[…]

The show will air again this weekend. Check your local listings but I have it in the Chicago area airing at 7:00 PM central Saturday night and 11:00 AM central on Sunday morning.

Don’t miss it.

That’s Rick Moran, writing at Right Wing Nuthouse. I watched the show in its entirety last evening and all I can add to what Mr. Moran says is “It’s about damned time someone said this.” Mr. Moran has a good essay up on the truthers and the History Channel’s show. Highly recommended.

I’m not quite surprised by this:

PRINCETON, NJ -- A new Gallup Poll finds Congress' approval rating the lowest it has been since Gallup first tracked public opinion of Congress with this measure in 1974. Just 18% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, while 76% disapprove, according to the August 13-16, 2007, Gallup Poll.

The mystery, Gentle Reader, is which 18% of us approve of the job our Congresscritters are doing. Who are these people? And which rocks are they living under?

Jumping the shark?

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The political left and the political right will join forces on Fox's "24" this coming season. Janeane Garofalo, an outspoken liberal, is set to co-star on the conservative-leaning real-time drama, whose co-creator/executive producer Joel Surnow jokingly describes himself as a "right-wing nut job."

Garofalo will play a government agent who is part of the team investigating the crisis befalling Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) and company in the upcoming season.

“Janeane Garofalo, an outspoken liberal…” Department of Redundancy Department, that. An absolutely needless and ultimately superfluous characterization, unless you’re part of that 18% that approves of Congress, i.e., you happen to live under a nice comfy rock. NO ONE makes me dive for the remote quicker than young Janeane. Absolutely. No. One. I can’t stand that woman. Doubtless she wouldn't like me all that much, either. So it evens out.

But. Back to the subject at hand. I dunno about you, Gentle Reader, but I believe I’ll give this one a pass. Not that I watched the show to begin with.

We had our first, and only (so far), back to back 100-degree days Sunday and Monday. And it was pretty danged hot yesterday, hitting 103. Days like that make me worry about the health and well-being of my air conditioning unit, which is going on eight years old. The AC systems (I use the term loosely) in RVs are essentially small, low capacity units not unlike a window-mounted air conditioner, and they struggle when the temperature exceeds 100 degrees. My unit ran virtually non-stop from around 1400 hrs until late, late in the evening yesterday. But the unit worked “as advertised” and I stayed cool. That doesn’t prevent the odd “what if” thoughts from occurring from time to time though… especially when the AC unit begins to make strange, unusual noises.

Let us pray…

Today’s Pic: “Your Moment of Zen,” as Jon Stewart used to say (and maybe still does, I dunno). A view of the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, SFO. Golden Gate Park was one of the places that I always included on “the nickel tour” for visiting firemen, relatives, friends, and such who came to visit while I lived in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area Soviet Socialist Republic. YMMV, but I consider GGP to be one of... if not the... best municipal parks in all of North America. And I’ve been in more than a few…

July, 2000. Another of my “first generation” digital camera pics. The usual disclaimers about quality apply.

Just a Couple of Vids...

By way of ASM826, a commenter at Lex’s place, here’s a lil reminder of days gone by…

“I’m Jon Karry, and I approve this message.” Heh.

Via Mike…in a way, since he posted “What if real life were like a comments section in a blog,” which led me to the “College Humor” site, which led me to this:

For the uninitiated…this is High Times. Only in America, eh?

A non-parenthetical parenthetical comment: I found it interesting that the Wiki claims Al Gore was either (a) on the cover of High Times or (b) was interviewed by High Times. “B” is probably the safer bet but ya never know, especially when it comes to the Goreacle. Now if we were talking about Al Gore III, I’d go for option “A.”