National Mom?

James Lileks offers a preview of the first 100 days of a Democrat-majority government.

Wisconsin voters: vote "No" on the state constitutional amendment.

Mood: Amused
Music: Foreigner: "Headknocker"

Lost in Translation

Would you like to see how badly the English language can be mangled? Check this out.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Rolling Stones: "Jumpin' Jack Flash"

Plasma Display

Did you know you could make plasma in your microwave? No, not that plasma, the fourth state of matter plasma. I think this definitely falls in the "do not try this at home" category.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Cheap Trick: "Ain't That a Shame"

State Smarts

A research company in Kansas recently published the results of a study on the intelligence of each state. Wisconsin fared pretty well on the list, ranking far ahead most other states, especially Illinois and California, but it has a long way to go to catch up to the top three.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Collective Soul: "Listen"

Weather

Apparently we got snow sometime Saturday night. Maryanne and I didn't even know about it until Sunday morning when we went to church. Much of it had melted even by then, but it was a fairly significant amount, and a new record for October 21: 2.3 inches of snow fell.

It was a fairly good weekend for Wisconsin sports fans: the Badgers won Saturday, and the Packers won Sunday. Both were away games, so it's doubtful that weather was a factor.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Wilson Pickett: "Mustang Sally"

Priceless

Last Saturday Maryanne and I took Sarah and braved the state of Illinois. There was a purpose to our mad journey, though: my great-grandmother was going to be celebrating her 100th birthday. Now I know there are a number of people out there that are able to claim that they met their great-grandmother, but Sarah will be among the few that will be able to say they met their great-great-grandmother.

I think that despite all the hassles of driving through Illinois, including the construction, the tools, and the stupid drivers, it was worth it, just to be able to get that five-generation photograph.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Marshall Tucker Band: "Can't You See"

Checked Out

In Canada they're called supermarket trolleys, but old shopping carts make good material for interesting sculptures.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Chicago: "Beginnings"

Influential

USA Today created this list of the most influential people who never lived. It's quite interesting, though they're not all exactly "people."

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The Monkees: "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone"

Time

Even in the world of timepieces, there are obviously those that want to be different just for the sake of being different. That's how we end up with these.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Deep Purple: "Mandrake Root"

Outrageous Costume!

Does your Halloween costume seem inadequate? It will once you see this.

Mood: Amused
Music: The James Gang: "Walk Away"

Clouds

Ever heard of lenticular clouds? Me neither. Check this out.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Humble Pie: "I Don't Need No Doctor"

Floppy

Here is an example of what happens when someone with too many floppy diskettes has too much time on their hands.

Sadly, while I probably have enough floppies, I don't have that kind of time.

Mood: Amused
Music: Susan Tedeschi: "It Hurt So Bad"

Pass

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

Mood: Pleased
Music: The BoDeans: "Still the Night"

Weem-o-weh!

Here's another example of someone with too much time on their hands.

Bonus: Fark clichés.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Electric Light Orchestra: "Fire On High"

ASCII

You'll have to work to see the badgers or the mushrooms, but the snake isn't too much of a stretch.

Mood: Amused
Music: Deep Purple: "Anyone's Daughter"

Limbo

I found this fairly interesting.

Maybe Pope Benedict XVI isn't so bad after all?

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Mountain: "Never In My Life"

Followup

Here's a followup to the previous post.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Styx: "Come Sail Away"

Blasphemy

Part of me doesn't want to post about this, because it's only giving more attention to a bunch of nutjobs that don't need more attention, but part of me felt it necessary to show another example of the group's lack of tact and respect.

Mood: Irritated
Music: Howlin' Wolf: "Shake for Me"

Ideas

Here's some more book-banning idiocy, this time courtesy of a whack-job mom in Georgia.

Honestly, I'm surprised she can say "indoctrinated."

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Supertramp: "Bloody Well Right"

"This book has pores."

I found an article covering a situation in Texas that's so full of irony and coincidences that it will make your head explode.

Go read a banned book. Especially Fahrenheit 451.



Mood: Irritated
Music: Big Brother & The Holding Company: "Piece of My Heart"