Glenntopia

Over There

2009-03-27T21:30:00.001-04:00

Hi. I've started blogging again, but not here. I'm now over there. If you want to follow me there, then there you are. Well, there I am, actually. Or there we shall be.

Whatever.

Sabbatical

2008-03-30T13:02:00.000-04:00

Hi. It’s been a really tough week here. To tell the truth, it’s been a really tough year. It is a time of endings and perhaps beginnings.

Right now my heart and mind are not drawn to blogging. I’m writing in other forms, and I just can’t seem myself keeping this blog going.

I may change my mind, but don’t expect to see posts here any time soon.

I’m sorry to disappoint my few regular readers, but I’ve got to go. Thanks for stopping by.

Arthur C. Clarke Died Tomorrow

2008-03-18T21:57:00.004-04:00

He was a writer, a visionary, and a good man. The last of the great golden-age science fiction writers, his writing showed us the future. When he told us how have instant global communication by putting satellites in geosynchronous orbits, he shaped the future; he may even have saved us from ourselves.

Marian Solarium

2008-03-11T22:50:00.002-04:00

It seems like people see images of the Virgin Mary just about anywhere. She shows up on trees, in glass, and on potato chips. It must be something about me, but I usually just see a squiggle. Sometimes, you really have to squint to see anything at all. And sometimes, it's probably better not to look at all.

But Scientists Said It, So It Must Be So . . .

2008-03-08T21:20:00.001-05:00

Paper or . . .

Goodbye Gary Gygax

2008-03-04T14:51:00.002-05:00

Where's a high level cleric when you need one? Gary Gygax, an icon of my youth, has passed away. I feel (rolls dice) pretty sad.

An Accident Waiting to Happen

2008-02-26T22:38:00.003-05:00

I don't believe it. I don't want to believe it. Milka Duno will be driving an Indy car again this year. She is the slowest and sloppiest driver I've ever seen. Every race she starts is a potential obstacle course for the other drivers. Shouldn't the ability to drive an Indy car safely be a prerequisite for driving an Indy car?

Shenanigans

2008-02-26T22:25:00.002-05:00

A woman, who apparently weighed the same as a duck, and her husband were hanged from a tree because they were accused of being witches. She then proceeded to prove that the mob was right by giving birth and then getting down from the tree. The sorcerous family is reported to be doing well.

It's in a newspaper, so it must be true, right?

I Really Ought to Have a Better Title For This

2008-02-23T07:33:00.005-05:00

The nominees for the Oddest Book Title of the Year have been announced and they are all, well, pretty odd. They missed a good one though by not including Toilet Bowl Christianity: Purge Your Past For a Redemptive Future. Spiritual bulimia?

About Frigging Time!

2008-02-22T22:20:00.002-05:00

Unification. After all the rumors and all the nonsense, it finally happened. The IRL will absorb what's left of Champ Car and there will be one open-wheel racing league in the US.

What does it mean for us? The quality of racing can only get better. No matter how you slice it, this is good news.

It's a good day to be a race fan.

Lookin' Good For Christ

2008-02-20T08:07:00.001-05:00

Guess who has His own line of personal care products?

Sizzle, Not Steak?

2008-02-17T20:46:00.003-05:00

My nutritionist told me that I should eat less meat and more veggies, so I suppose I could tell folks that I was visiting Casa Diablo for health reasons. It's the world's first vegan strip club, and if you see me there I want to assure you that it is purely for medicinal reasons.

Meow Sounds

2008-02-17T18:51:00.001-05:00

A day late for Caturday, but I love a nice kitty story.

When Martin Luther Said That the Gospel Was Clear . . .

2008-02-10T22:44:00.001-05:00

I don't think that this is what he meant. Nice rant about Bible paper at Classical Bookworm.

Life. Don't Talk to me About Life.

2008-02-10T21:24:00.000-05:00

Hey, where have I been lately? You probably figure I'm still in mourning for my beloved Patriots. Nah. It would have been nice to see them run the table, but you can't always get what you want. Besides, it's only a game. My problem is time. Right now my candle is being burned on both ends. Way too much work on one end and a family crisis on the other. I've had neither the time nor the desire to write much lately. I'd like to say that things will be getting better soon, but that's not very likely. The best I can hope for is that things will just slow down a little.

Follow the Money

2008-02-02T22:36:00.000-05:00

I was listening to a conversation about Arlen Specter's grandstanding the other day. One of the guys said that Specter has been in Comcast's pocket for years. Huh? I didn't know what the guy was talking about, so I did a little digging. It seems that Comcast is Specter's second largest contributor. It also seems that Comcast and the NFL have been fighting for a while now. A lot of money is involved, so Comcast sent their pet Senator out to piddle on Roger Goodell's parade.

Sadly, this is not shocking. It is not even unusual. This is American democracy in the 21st century -- the best government that money can buy.

Let’s Go Bowling

2008-02-01T17:11:00.000-05:00

I finally saw The Big Lebowski. Now I can get all the jokes about the Dude.

It’s one of those movies that I’ve been meaning to see for a long time, then I see it and kick myself for waiting so long. The plot is really complicated. There’s this guy named Lebowski, but he doesn’t go by that name. He calls himself “The Dude.” Then these enforcers for a porno producer mistake him for the eponymous Lebowski, after which he goes bowling and . . . wait a minute. I lost my train of thought.

Look, who cares about the plot? It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that a whole bunch of weird stuff happens to the Dude, who is the laziest, most laid-back stoner and league bowler in the world. The characters are interesting, or at least funny, the dialogue is sharp, and the visuals are great, especially the Dude’s occasional dream sequences. The Busby Berkeley inspired vision of bowling is an instant classic of cinema weirdness.

This thing is seriously funny and occasionally mind-boggling. Your mileage may vary. Not everyone digs the Coen brother’s style of humor. That’s okay. The Dude . . . well, you know.

Top 5 reasons to watch The Big Lebowski

The nihilists

The Dude dreams

Maude’s vaginal art

Tumbling tumbleweeds and the Stranger

The coffee can

Fool on the Hill

2008-02-01T16:31:00.000-05:00

We are at war in two countries and under threat at home. Our economy is teetering on the brink of recession. Climate change is a reality. The issues are serious and we elect people who we think will deal with them on our behalf. So what does Senator Arlan Specter want to do? He wants to hold hearings about spygate. That'll help. Your tax dollars at work.

Dirty Screen?

2008-01-30T23:45:00.000-05:00

Tired of looking at that dirty monitor? Clean it up automatically with this revolutionary web utility.
via -- Davezilla

Lady Lazarus

2008-01-30T23:38:00.000-05:00

Fatuma Shubisa died. It was the best twelve hours of her life.

Don't believe it? Here's video proof. If it's on TV, it must be true.

I Can Has A Can Opener?

2008-01-30T22:51:00.000-05:00

Cheeseburger, good. Cheeseburger in a can? Uhhhh.

My mind is officially boggled.
via -- Newsvine

Here's Looking At You

2008-01-30T00:42:00.000-05:00

You Know How to Whistle Don't You?

2008-01-29T23:02:00.000-05:00

You just put your feathers together and dive. Here's why I love the study of birds. It's endlessly surprising. Consider the male Anna's hummingbird. Like other hummers it likes to show off for the ladies. It swoops and dives, dancing in the sunlight, flashing its iridescent feathers in a show of sheer avian sexiness. Yeah baby, take a ride with me. I've got the hottest sports car in town. Then, to really show off, he gives a loud squeak. Gets 'em every time.

Thing is, no one was quite sure how he produced that squeak. Researchers have now figured it out. He does it with his tail feathers. He gets up to about fifty m.p.h, forms his feathers into something like a reed, and gives his girl a whistle.

Nature equipped the bird with its own kazoo. Don't you just love surprises?

"A Chance to be a Part of Ever"

2008-01-21T15:41:00.000-05:00

That's what Junior Seau said the Patriots will be playing for in the Superbowl. The chance to be the only team in NFL history to go 19-0 in a season. The best season in the history of NFL football. These are some smart guys on this team, who love the game and appreciate its history. They know what this means.

As for yesterday's game, what can I say? The Chargers are good, but they didn't have much chance. Their defense did pretty well, picking off Brady and containing Moss. Hat's off to their offence, especially the heroic job done by Phillip Rivers, but the Pats D really stepped it up. Bruschi, Seau, Vrabel, all of them. Keeping a good team like San Diego out of the end zone is pretty good. If the Chargers had been healthy and LT hadn't been forced to do his Darth Vader impression on the sidelines (love that helmet) they might have been a bigger challenge. Injuries are, they say, a part of the game.

Even if Brady and Moss didn't have their best days the offence was still exciting. The O-line is the best in the business, giving Brady time and making holes for Maroney. While Randy was getting double-teamed, Faulk was making some big plays. For a Pats fan, this was nothing but fun.

For now, it is off to they hype, off to the show, off to Glendale, and off to . . . Ever.

17

2008-01-13T12:16:00.000-05:00

Good game last night. The Jags came out well prepared, with a good game plan, and they executed it well. It just didn't matter. These Patriots are the best team I've ever seen. Just two more games to go, and these are going to be the toughest tests yet.

Man, this is fun.

Finding God in Monty Python

2008-01-06T22:44:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I’m still re-watching Monty Python. This time it’s . . .

Sorry, something about that word.

This time it’s Monty Python’s The Life of Brian, which just happens to be one of my all time favorite movies. My official movie review is thus: it is very funny, very smart, and hugely entertaining.

All right, that out of the way, I’d like to reminisce a bit. I was but a lad when Brian hit the screens and I remember the controversy it stirred then. People were pretty upset because they thought (wrongly) that the movie mocked Jesus and that it was blasphemous. There were protests, petitions, and letters to the editor. It was banned in three countries, leading to calls of “welease Bwian!” All this did, of course, was to increase the box office. Pickets sell tickets, after all.

But were they right? Is the film blasphemous?

No. It is, I think, heretical, but not blasphemous. Being a heretic myself I can’t that say I mind that.

There’s a message in amongst all the silliness. They come pretty close to stating it explicitly when Brian speaks to his new followers. He’s trying to get them to understand that he is not the Messiah. He says “Look, you’ve got it all wrong. You don’t need to follow me. You don’t need to follow anybody! You’ve got to think for yourselves. You’re all individuals!”

If that’s not a heretical concept I don’t know what is. The Pythons lampoon religious hypocrisy and fanaticism with a fake beard and a shoe on a stick. They knock down orthodoxy, gullibility and groupthink. The only things they don’t make fun of are faith and love. Not a lot of laughs there, after all.

Faith and love are, or should be, the pillars of any church. Some churches place hierarchy or their traditional interpretation of scripture above these things. Some are more concerned with arguing about comparatively minor differences of ritual or belief than they are about their true purpose. And some, horribly, are so consumed by hate that they have forgotten about faith and love altogether. It’s enough to make you want to cry.

Or laugh, if you listen to the Pythons. After all –

“Some things in life are bad.
They can really make you mad.
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you’re chewing on life’s gristle,
Don’t grumble, give a whistle.
And this’ll help things turn out for the best.
And . . .
Always look on the bright side of life.
Always look on the light side of life."

Right then, here are my top ten reasons to watch The Life of Brian:

Admiral Piett on the Mount

The stoning

Biggus Dickus

The Judean People’s Front

The Latin lesson

Naked Judith (or naked Graham, if you are so inclined)

“He’s not the Messiah. He’s a very naughty boy!”

Cleese’s centurion

“You going to keep it in a box?”

Eric’s song.

Reading on the C Line

2008-01-04T11:14:00.000-05:00

Just in case you were wondering, here are the bestsellers of 2007 at Brookline Booksmith. If number one is a surprise, you have been living under a rock.

Live Loud and Prosper

2008-01-04T10:57:00.000-05:00

You are a Trekkie! Say it proud! Say it loud! Say it with 118 decibels of air horn power! Yeah!

The Holy Bibles

2008-01-04T10:26:00.000-05:00

Read the Bible. Good advice. It is the most influential book in all of western civilization. It doesn't matter if you are reading it as a believer or not (well, I guess it matters a little), the Bible should be on your reading list. But which Bible? Unless you can read classical Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek, you're going to need a translation. Do you go with the good old KJV, or the NKJV? How about the ASV, the NJB, the NAB, the NEB, the NIV, or the TNIV? I grew up with the RSV but today I generally use the NRSV. The language is clear. The translators tried to project the original meaning of the words while remaining in the tradition of the King James Version. I've talked to one scholar who does know classical Hebrew and Aramaic, and he says that he is impressed by how the original meaning comes through. Up until recently I've been pretty happy with it. But now come two new translations that may be even better.

Coming this year -- The Manga Bible. I'm going to bet that it will be way better than the Classic Comics version.

and

The ongoing project -- The Bible as translated by cats.

Deal With It

2008-01-01T10:40:00.000-05:00

Nice piece about My Beloved Patriots by Charlie Pierce at Slate.

Top Cat

2007-12-30T00:24:00.000-05:00

A belated hat's off to Nin, the official cat-in-residence at the Mount Washington Observatory. Nin retired this week after twelve years of faithful service. Good kitty.

Missing the Point

2007-12-30T00:02:00.000-05:00

It happened again. Year after year, decade after decade, the turf war over which gang of churchmen should control which bit of the Church of the Nativity has often led to holy fisticuffs. If I was a better Christian I would probably feel some sort of pity for the battling brethren of Bethlehem, but I just can't stop myself from laughing.

Oh Yeah!

2007-12-29T23:31:00.000-05:00

Sixteen and oh! Sweet.

Thank you Patriots for giving us the gift of this season. To see your team go undefeated, to see them score the most points ever, to see your quarterback throw the most touchdowns and his favorite receiver catch the most touchdowns is really something special.

Sixteen down. Three to go.

The Meaning of Life?

2007-12-29T17:23:00.000-05:00

We've been on something of a Monty Python kick this fall. We started by watching Holy Grail, then watched every episode of the old series, first to last. It took us a while, as time has been rather dear lately, but we persevered and finished up last week. Full up, even bloated on Python though we were, we decided to watch just one more little movie. The disc was, after all, wafer thin.

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life is the film that most resembles the old series; it's a bunch of comedy bits connected by links. The weakest of the three Python movies, it is still pretty darn good. Required viewing for all Python fans, I should think. The overall theme is, of course, the search for the meaning of life. They cover life in all its stages while having a go at big business, modern medicine, religion, classism, war, Americans, and popular culture in general. They also manage to be really silly while throwing a little blood and a lot of vomit onto the screen.

A word about vomit. If you have a weak tummy like me, you might want to turn your head away when the corpulent Mr. Creosote comes on-screen. If you have a very weak tummy you might just want to step out to the kitchen for a few minutes. It’s quite funny, but it is also quite disgusting.

All that aside, do the boys deliver? Do they actually give us a clue as to the meaning of life? Oddly, they may just. Near the middle of the movie, in the midst of the usual silliness, someone says this: “Matter is energy. In the universe there are many energy fields which we cannot normally perceive. Some energies have a spiritual source which act upon a person’s soul. However, this ‘soul’ does not exist ab initio as orthodox Christianity teaches; it has to be brought into existence by a process of guided self-observation. However, this is rarely achieved owing to man’s unique ability to be distracted from spiritual matters by everyday trivia.”

Could that be it? Are we here to create our own souls? Are we the garden and the gardener, tending to the flower invisible? Should life be an ongoing process of questions and answers, sought from without and answered from within, leading to an ever increasing knowledge of one’s own soul? In a word, yes. Inner life. That’s a close as you can come, I think, to an answer.

Or 42. Whatever.

Right. Here are the top five reasons you should see this film:

The Crimson Permanent Assurance.

The “Every Sperm is Sacred” musical number. Amazing.

The Galaxy Song.

Eric’s Noel Coward impression.

That last wafer thin mint (really, very disgusting, but still funny).

The C Word

2007-12-25T20:37:00.000-05:00

If I had my way, every fool that goes about with "merry Christmas" on his lips would be boiled in his own plum pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.

Nevertheless, I do hope you and yours had a good one.

Glow in the Dark Cats!

2007-12-13T20:18:00.000-05:00

Not all cats are gray at night.

Guarantee

2007-12-09T21:50:00.000-05:00

I guarantee I enjoyed that game. Tom Terrific threw for 399 yards with four touchdowns. Moss had two of those, which means that he is only three away from reaching Jerry Rice's old record. Maroney didn't have a lot to do, but at one point he really showed some muscle, dragging half the Steelers down the field with him. Then there was that weird double lateral. Man, that was fun. Thirteen down, six to go.

A Conspiracy of Ravens

2007-12-04T18:32:00.000-05:00

It's all true! The NFL is secretly backing the Patriots. Bill Belichick was on the grassy knoll. Elvis spiked the Gatorade. Unmarked helicopters with powerful cameras are watching for secret signals. Tom Brady was in the Michigan chapter of Skull and Bones. Mr. Kraft is getting help from the Trilateral Commission. Randy Moss was created in a laboratory by the gray aliens. Bigfoot's been spotted in Foxborough. The truth is out there. Believe!

Now You Know What to Get Me For Christmas

2007-12-03T08:12:00.000-05:00

Yeah, it's a book, but you can't get it at Amazon. Creepy, but cool.

Jaws is Wrong

2007-12-01T14:53:00.000-05:00

Just a brief football note here. Ron Jaworski usually knows his stuff, but I've always thought that he had a blind spot when it comes to the Patriots. Is there a difference between pacing and dogging? Was Jaws just looking to take his shot at Moss and the Pats? Yup.

November is Finally Over

2007-12-01T13:34:00.000-05:00

I am heartily glad to see the end of it. It has been one of the worst months I've ever suffered. In a nutshell, the branch of the nonprofit I work for has been pummeled by the weak economy, I've developed a serious health issue that will affect the rest of my life, and my father has been diagnosed with a rare and inoperable form of cancer. Meanwhile a hundred little things have been nibbling away at my life and left me pretty worn.

I fell asleep last night and woke at noon today, fourteen hours later. It's as if I've been living with a frozen fever. The worst, I hope, is behind.

Right then. Let's have a sing-along:

Paperless

2007-11-20T11:43:00.000-05:00

I used to be a bookseller. I worked in little bookstores and big bookstores, on college campuses and in shopping malls. I participated in the growth of the big-box stores that now dominate bookselling, helping to set up a few of them. Don't like those stores? Don't worry, they won't be around for long. Even while I was working there I used to tell my co-workers that our jobs would soon be joining scriveners and icemen in the dustbin of history. Someday we'd all have electronic tablets, I'd say, and when we wanted a new book we'd use it to go to the bookseller's website, buy it, and have it in our hand in seconds. Someday is a lot closer now. Amazon's new Kindle may not be the last word, but it is a big jump. Like it or not, the revolution is here. I, for one, welcome this future.

Don't get me wrong. I love paper books. I've got thousands of them. I've even been known to read them from time to time. I'll probably haunt used bookstores for years to come. But what I love most about books is that they are a delivery system for words. When I'm reading I don't want to be paying attention to the book. I want to be focused on the words. Sure, it's cool that my copy of The Lost World was printed before I was born, that it's slightly browned pages have a real honest to goodness rag edge, and that it even smells nice, but when I'm reading I don't notice any of that. It's not the book I'm reading, it's the story.

Nothing to Say

2007-11-19T09:15:00.000-05:00

Lately, I haven't felt "compelled to share my thoughts with the world." I've recently had a couple of major things happen in my life, and just now I don't feel like talking about it. I like to blog about things that interest me. It is, after all, a state of mind, and I haven't had a mind to bloviate of late.

Writing, I find, often leads to more writing. It loosens the ligatures, to paraphrase Virginia Woolf. So who knows, perhaps even this post, about nothing, will lead to something.

They're Creepy and They're Kooky

2007-11-07T09:16:00.000-05:00

Mysterious and spooky.

Piddling in the Champagne

2007-11-07T08:37:00.000-05:00

As you may have heard, Don Shula, desperately clinging to the old Dolphin's perfect season in the face of the Patriot's near-inevitable crushing of all previous records, has recently stated that any such achievement this season should come with and asterisk. Sad. Pathetic really. Beyond the obvious fact that one video camera removed in the first quarter of the first game of the season has made no difference whatsoever, there is a certain air of hypocrisy. Mike Litke points out the fact that Miami's perfect team was created as a direct result of cheating.

I can see why Shula wants to take a punch at the Pats (missing widely and providing fuel for the angry men of Foxboro when they next visit with the Dolphins), but why do you suppose he aimed a shot at Roger Goodell? He all but called the commissioner a liar who had covered up even more serious crimes. Does Shula have some other agenda here? Is he deliberately trying to discredit this new commissioner? Or is he even aware of what it was that he said? Either way it is, as I said, sad. This asterisk leads to a footnote on an otherwise classy career.

"The Building That Threw Up On Itself"

2007-11-06T17:11:00.000-05:00

MIT now says that there are serious design flaws in its new Stata Center. Really? You think? I'm stunned.

And Then There Was One

2007-11-04T22:58:00.000-05:00

All hail the Colts -- the first team to seriously challenge My Beloved Patriots this season. I've been telling folks that this would be another blow-out, but the Colts were just way too good. I admit, I used to think of them as being all about Peyton Manning and his laser rocket arm, but that's just dumb. They are the complete package, a terrific all-around football team. Today, the Patriots were just a little better. Next time? Perish the thought. My blood pressure is bad enough as it is.

Now comes a well-deserved week off, then back on the road to 19-0.

Best Sports Drink. Ever.

2007-11-03T08:58:00.000-04:00

Scientists have discovered the perfect re-hydrating drink to replenish your body after a workout. It promotes health and well being. It tastes great. It is bread in a bottle. Its freshness renews the spirit, yet it is as old a civilization itself. It is the wonder beverage of the ages. Is there nothing it can't do?

Amazing Grace

2007-11-03T08:32:00.000-04:00

This is how a real Trekkie checks out in style. Just don't forget to drop your katra off with your nearest old country doctor.
via

Save the Giblets

2007-11-01T07:55:00.000-04:00

What, Dan Akroyd wasn't available?

Still Going Strong

2007-10-31T09:37:00.000-04:00

490 years ago today Martin Luther posted his arguments against the selling of indulgences. This sparked a movement that would bring about the Reformation of Christianity in Western Civilization. The process of reformation continues to this day.

Sympathy From the Devil?

2007-10-29T06:56:00.000-04:00

The other day I was waiting for a train at North Station and I heard . . . nothing. T-Radio was off the air. Had we been granted a reprieve from the newly dug circle of Hell that commuters had been kicked into? Or was the arch-fiend simply toying with us?

The former, it turns out. Amazing.

Still, I wouldn't be surprised to hear it again in a few weeks as the New and Improved T-Radio, featuring less puerile blather and more fingernails on blackboards!

Somewhere, the Royal Rooters Are Marching

2007-10-29T06:45:00.000-04:00

Tessie, "Nuf Ced" McGreevey shouted
We're not here to mess around
Boston, you know we love you madly
Hear the crowd roar to your sound
Don't blame us if we ever doubt you
You know we couldn't live without you
Tessie, you are the only only only
Don't blame us if we ever doubt you
You know we couldn't live without you
Boston, you are the only only only
Don't blame us if we ever doubt you
You know we couldn't live without you
Red Sox, you are the only only only

Bohemian Rhapsody

2007-10-23T11:19:00.000-04:00

Hey kids, thinking about studying overseas? Check out the Czech Republic. Consider these important educational points -- Pilsner Urquell -- in cans -- in half liter cans -- in vending machines -- in your dorm.

And the world just keeps getting better.

Just That Much Closer to Hell

2007-10-17T00:35:00.000-04:00

Every day I, like thousands of people who live in or near Boston, descend into the tunnels belows the old town and commute on what we call the T. Driving a car up on the surface is inefficient, wasteful, and expensive. The T is certainly the best alternative, even if it is often uncomfortable, unpleasant, crowded, dirty, loud, smelly, ugly, vulgar, unreliable, and generally awful. Still, we all know it could be worse.

This week it got worse. T-Radio was launched and is now annoying people at three busy stations. One of those stations is a place that I pass though every day.

I'm thinking of all the time I've stood on that platform, waiting (and waiting, and waiting . . .) for my train. I've stood, listening to the water dripping around me, smelling the occasional backup of sewage in the tunnel, contemplating the odd pattern of stains on the floor, while watching little rodents frisking about the tracks below me, and never once thought that my overall experience could be improved by insipid pop music, hip-hop, Latin hits, commercials, and lame chatter from pathetic local "celebrities."

Such is my lack of vision. Have you ever been commuting, stuck on a train or platform or some other public place where you have no control of your environment, when some jackass walks in carrying a boombox? The jackass is playing music you don't want to hear, or a radio program you'd really rather miss, but too bad, his bad taste is now your problem. What I saw as an annoying intrusion the T saw as something to institutionalize as a potential source of revenue.

If this sort of thing had gone on in Charlie's day he would have thrown himself onto the third rail. An increasingly attractive prospect.

Tales of the World's Worst Birdwatcher

2007-10-16T11:13:00.000-04:00

Da Queen and I were taking a little stroll the other day. I noticed a little bird flitting about the plants over to our left. Sparrow, I thought, and moved on. "Look, a goldfinch," said Da Queen. She was right. Female goldfinch in her winter plumage. A pretty little thing too.

Right under my nose.

MVP!

2007-10-15T07:54:00.001-04:00

Who else?

Another Sunday, Another Blowout

2007-10-14T20:17:00.000-04:00

If you go by the final score you might think that the Cowboys were pushovers. But Dallas played well and they are the only team this season to get ahead of the Patriots, if only for a few minutes. All week I've been saying that the Cowboys are overrated, but I was wrong. They played the Pats pretty well, even if it was eventually to be for naught. My Beloved Patriots win by three touchdowns and ring up a total of 48 points. So far this season their lowest point total has been 34 and their smallest margin of victory has been 17.

Is this Patriots team the best in the NFL this year? I think we'll settle that in a few weeks. Is this the best team ever? We'll see.

Sure is fun for this old Pats fan to watch.

The Swedish Prize

2007-10-11T07:36:00.000-04:00

Doris Lessing just won the Nobel Prize. Wow. I never thought they'd give it to her. Check me on this -- is she the first person whose oeuvre includes science fiction to become a Nobel Laureate?

Captain Pike, We Hardly Knew Ye

2007-10-09T22:41:00.000-04:00

Get your tickets now fellow trekkies. "The Menagerie" will hit the big screen for one night only, November 13 at 7:30 PM. Come on, you know you want to. The Talosians. Number One. The captain's hat. The martini. Not good enough? How about Vina as a green Orion animal woman? Right. I'll see you there.

Happy Leif Erikson Day!

2007-10-09T10:18:00.000-04:00

Today we celebrate Leif Erikson, the Viking explorer who established the legendary city of Norumbega, in the year 1000, in what we now call Massachusetts. This, according to Eben Norton Horsford, the man who gave us Rumsford Baking Powder. Sometime after this great invention, Horsford's longboat ran aground on Wackjob Island. He commissioned this wonderful statue of the discoverer of Boston (and inventor of the iron brassiere) that stands today on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.

Truly one of my favorite things in New England

Happy Columbus Day

2007-10-08T07:04:00.000-04:00

In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Back in those days everybody thought the world was flat, so Columbus proved it wasn't by sailing around the world to America. Nobody knew America was there, so Columbus discovered it. He met the Indians, who must have thought they were in India or something, but he told them no, this is America, which they must have been glad to learn. Then he went back to Europe and told everyone about America, and some people said hey, we should move there and invent democracy, so that's what they did.

Special thanks to Washington Irving for filling in some of the historical detail.

Missed It

2007-10-07T22:25:00.000-04:00

I figure if I had to miss one game this month, it might as well be this one. The Browns had no chance. I was off giving a speech to a great group of young people who wanted to hear about Fair Trade. I didn't get home until late in the fourth quarter, by which time the Patriots were just putting a bow on things. Da Queen told me that things got a bit sloppy in the second half and the Browns almost made a game of it, but in the end My Beloved Patriots scored their standard 30+ points and notched up number five. Fourteen to go.

Next week, Dallas. Not going to miss that one.

Fast Money

2007-10-04T08:45:00.000-04:00

When I think about the fact that two of Indy Racing's top drivers are switching to NASCAR, I get a sense of vertigo. It seems to me that the racing world is upside down. The fastest, most advanced, most aerodynamic and exciting race cars in America are in the IRL. The big money is in NASCAR. Imagine a world where the NFL was the weak sister to arena football. What if dial-up was more popular than DSL? How about single malt scotch for two bucks a bottle while a Bud Light would set you back $50? That's about where American motorsports finds itself today.

I Am Curious, Cinnamon

2007-10-04T08:27:00.000-04:00

Hurray Sweden, for giving us National Cinnamon Bun Day! What a great idea.

I Spy, With My Little Eye

2007-10-03T06:59:00.000-04:00

An asteroid named George Takei.

Not News

2007-09-30T13:30:00.000-04:00

I turned the radio on yesterday just in time to hear breaking news. A former politician had just announced that he was not running for president.

I'm sorry. I didn't know that this was a requirement. Okay, just so you know, here is my official announcement.

Let the word go forth, from this place and time, to all American voters and to the people of all nations, that I am not running for president. Please do not include my name on your ballots. If you were considering a write-in campaign, thank you, but please restrain yourself. If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve. Probably. I guess it depends on the salary and health plan.

To be clear, I am not running for any public executive office. This includes all offices at the national, state, and local levels.

Furthermore, legislative offices are right out. Nix also on judicial positions. I would rather not hold a cabinet post in state government. Do not vote for me as clerk of courts, receiver general, or sheriff.

This has been an official announcement. Thank you, and God bless.

Raise Your Glass Tonight

2007-09-30T12:32:00.000-04:00

Join the National Toast to remember Michael Jackson.

Silence

2007-09-30T10:02:00.000-04:00

The golden age of radio ended 45 years ago today with the final episodes of Suspense and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. A lot of people still remember Suspense, which was an excellent program, but I think Johnny Dollar is mostly forgotten. That's a shame. Dollar, especially as played by Bob Baily, was one cool character. Who else could keep you on the edge of your seat just by reading his "action-packed expense account?"

Hawkeye

2007-09-26T22:17:00.000-04:00

It's been known for some time that migratory birds use the earth's magnetic field to help them stay on course. Now scientists tell us that some birds can perceive magnetic fields visually. Amazing.

Wisdom

2007-09-23T17:45:00.000-04:00

Desmond Tutu says this in For The Bible Tells Me So: “The Bible is the word of God through the word of human beings, speaking in the idiom of their time. And the richness of the Bible comes from the fact that we don't take it as literally so that it was dictated by God.” I really hope this movie comes to my town soon.

All Too Easy

2007-09-23T17:14:00.000-04:00

Tip your hat to the Bills. They played with spirit. They were valiant. But they were hopelessly outmatched. The Patriots just slapped them around. By the third quarter their offence was ineffective and their defense was exhausted. I almost felt bad for them. Oh well. Another victory. Three down, sixteen to go.

Autumnal Equinox

2007-09-23T17:08:00.000-04:00

My favorite time of the year now commences. It is Autumn in New England, and I am glad.

Finding My Religion

2007-09-21T23:42:00.000-04:00

Here's ten beer deities to choose from. I'm partial to Mbaba Mwana Waresa, if only because she has a cool name.
Via: Newsvine.

Clams Got Legs!

2007-09-21T14:53:00.000-04:00

No, wait that's not right. How about velociraptors had feathers! I guess they'll have to re-do the CGI for all those Jurassic Park movies.

Beer Inspires Wisdom

2007-09-21T14:40:00.000-04:00

It must be true -- Paris Hilton has been banned from Oktoberfest.

Watching Birdwatchers

2007-09-20T08:13:00.000-04:00

It's official. There are now 47.8 million Americans who are better birdwatchers than I am.

Scoop Brings One Down in Peru

2007-09-20T00:18:00.000-04:00

A meteorite hit Peru, giving off fumes that sickened hundreds. By now a team has started work at Wildfire.

601

Shiver Me Timbers and Such

2007-09-19T00:32:00.000-04:00

Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day, ye landlubbers! Raise high the Jolly Roger and all that. Aye, Jim lad.

Move Mountains

2007-09-18T11:35:00.000-04:00

I've been told that planting something as small as a mustard seed is the first step in moving a mountain. Here are a few great ways to plant some Fair Trade seeds in your village.

38 -- 14

2007-09-17T09:30:00.001-04:00

Familiar numbers. That's was the score of the game when the Pats beat the Jets. That was the one where they got caught using a video camera to do what every other team in the league does with binoculars. That was also the score last night when the Pats dismantled the Chargers. To those of you who said that the Patriots win because they "cheat" -- here's a great big bowl of crow. Bon appétit.

I loved seeing Bruschi, Brady, and the rest of the guys congratulating Belichick at the end of the game. He got the game ball and a contract extension from Mr. Kraft. And what do you want to bet there's a bonus in that contract that works out to about $500,000?

What's the best part? They can only get better. Brady said it. Vince Wilfork said it. Coach always says it. I love it. And it seems that a lot of the Patriots haters just can't stand it. SI's Michael Silver really needs a waaah!-mbulance.

You know the real reason the haters are upset? It's because my team is the New England Patriots, and all of their teams are the Washington Generals.

Scottish Mummies

2007-09-15T07:29:00.000-04:00

Bronze Age Scots practiced mummification. Interesting.

I'm Shocked, Shocked . . .

2007-09-13T14:22:00.000-04:00

The green-eyed Pats haters have given themselves a case of the vapors on news of signal-stealing in football. It is, of course, something that is simply never done. Phooey. It just took one weasel like Mangini to point out something that was an open secret throughout the League. Oh, that's why the Jets looked like chumps on opening day -- because the Pats shot some video. Right.

Oh me, oh my. Now the three Superbowl victories are tarnished. This is such a serious infraction. Nonsense. Trying to sneak your way around the salary cap, like the Steelers and 49ers have both been caught doing, is serious. The integrity of the game is really at stake when teams try to turn football into moneyball. The Broncos got caught cheating on the salary cap about ten years ago. Does that fact tarnish John Elway's two Superbowl victories? Of course not.

Yes, the Patriots broke the rules, and yes, it is serious. Is it as serious as cheating on the salary cap, condoning steroid abuse, or encouraging players to injure opposing players, all of which have happened in the NFL? Hell no. This should be dealt with and then we should move on. Perspective. Deal with it.
UPDATE: Shocked, I say!

In Dutch

2007-09-13T12:40:00.000-04:00

Business took me back to Amish country for the third time this year. Once again, there was not a single horse & buggy in view. I did see an Amish guy driving a horse and cart, but that doesn't count. I figure he didn't get the email.

That's right. The Amish have email. They use it to plot against me.

Apples and Honey

2007-09-13T12:24:00.000-04:00

Happy New Year to all my Jewish friends.

What a Finish!

2007-09-09T19:01:00.000-04:00

When Dixon ran out of ethanol on the last lap I fell out of my chair. Unbelievable! Congratulations Dario! I know it's a cliche, but it's a shame that there can't be two winners. They're both such wonderful drivers and such nice guys. What an exciting race and what an exciting season. I can't wait until next year. The IRL keeps getting better and better.

Message Delivered

2007-09-09T18:58:00.000-04:00

I think My Beloved Patriots sent a message to the rest of the NFL today. The rest of you should consider this a rebuilding year.

It's going to be a good season.

Fair Trade World

2007-09-08T17:15:00.000-04:00

More and more we hear about people working to get their city or town to commit to Fair Trade. Fair Trade towns are one thing, but how about Fair Trade nations? That's huge.

You never know where Fair Trade will pop up next.

Celebrate Reading

2007-09-08T08:53:00.000-04:00

Today is International Literacy Day!

Live Long and Prosper

2007-09-08T08:48:00.000-04:00

Happy birthday Star Trek. 41 years on the final frontier.

Madeleine L'Engle

2007-09-08T08:21:00.000-04:00

Madeleine L'Engle died Thursday. Meg and Charles Wallace will live forever.

The Fair Trade Meme

2007-09-07T08:41:00.000-04:00

Here's a terrific list of ten ways you can introduce people to Fair Trade. I'll add one more -- volunteer at your local Ten Thousand Villages. Part of the job is to educate people about Fair Trade. It's a great feeling when you see someone realize that they can make a real difference in the world just by shopping conscientiously.

Mean Kitty Song

2007-09-06T23:44:00.000-04:00

Love this:

Via: Davezilla

Yes, Please

2007-09-04T11:35:00.000-04:00

The inventor of deep-fried Coke had done it again; deep-fried cookie dough! There should be some special category of Nobel prize for this guy.

Anger Management

2007-09-03T12:09:00.000-04:00

It seems to me that Dario Franchitti is a very classy guy. His bosses? Not so much.

Dry White Toast

2007-09-03T11:56:00.000-04:00

I'm eating like Elwood Blues today, which is pretty good news. This morning's single piece of toast is the first thing I've eaten since Saturday. Today I feel pretty poor. Yesterday was terrible.

IRL 2008

2007-09-01T18:05:00.000-04:00

The Indy Racing League announced some technical changes for next year. The real car of the future will have paddle shifters and modified power steering for road/street courses. About time for both, I say.

They also teased us by saying that a future announcement would be big news about a new venue. I'm betting that it is going to be a road course at Indy.

Say It Ain't So Rodney!

2007-09-01T13:10:00.000-04:00

Rodney Harrison has been suspended for four games. He has admitted to using a banned substance and to receiving human growth hormone. He says that he did not take steroids and did not take the substance to gain a competitive edge but to speed healing after an injury. Rodney has stated that he understands that he is a role model and apologized to all those he let down. He made it clear that this was something that he was solely responsible for and his teammates knew nothing of it. As part of his statement he said: "I apologize to the entire New England Patriots organization and the fans who have supported me so faithfully over the past five seasons here, through Super Bowls, injury, through ups and downs. They have supported me. I definitely, definitely appreciate them."

The First Moon Shot

2007-09-01T11:32:00.000-04:00

Man first travelled to the moon 105 years ago today -- at the movies. A Trip to the Moon was the first science fiction film, and it's still a good show. Finest kind.

T is For Tribble

2007-08-31T11:19:00.000-04:00

The Trouble With Tribbles, as it would have been if adapted by Edward Gorey.
Wonderful.
(via: MetaFilter)