Sandwich bags

I got video editing software for myself. Here is my lousy first attempt.

Wanna win a new puter?

Have some rusty C++ skills? Have no C++ skills at all?
Great!
Then submit an entry to the OMGWTF programming contest.
Where the goal is to write the bestest worstest code that actually sorta runs.
Winner gets a new puter.

Pancakes

Tonight I made some pancakes.
First, I followed the normal Bisquick recipe:
2 Cups mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

I made a few of the pancakes normally (read: for the picky kids).
Then I experimented.
I warmed up half of an apple, skinned and chopped into cubes with a bit of brown sugar to taste in the microwave for 30 seconds.
I had prepared a cup of Tazo Chai in advance, because I was thinking on the way home how I was going to doctor the pancakes. I left it steeping in the bag for 5 - 10 minutes to get it good and strong.
I added half a cup of the strong Chai and the warmed apples to the pancake mixture, and cooked in a well oiled griddle to get the edges nice and crispy.

I topped with butter and syrup, and melted away in a sea of Apple-Chai pancake bliss.

Conspiracy? Nah! Never!

When I browse Microsoft's documentation website in IE, my page looks like this.


This is what it looks like in Firefox.


Also, you'll notice the different URLs. When I paste the URL into IE, it redirects me to the correct page. In FF, I get no such redirect. Methinks Microsoft doesn't want people reading their website with THAT browser.
Here's the URL if you want to try it yourself.

Watch out Geordi!

Scientists are working on a visor for the blind that will translate light into brain signals for you.



In other news, scientists have cracked the secret of Photosynthesis. Keep an eye out for green cars...literally. Perhaps in 20 years all we'll have to do is scoop some pond scum into the water tank on top of our cars for fuel.

Android Entertainment

Commander Data, having been newly outfitted with his human emotion chip, now knows exactly how to give maximum entertainment to the audience.






(OK...I'm obsessing over this Vitas guy. He is just so hilarious in his badness, yet obviously thinks he is the koolest kat on the planet. In this clip, he looks amazingly like Brent Spiner A.K.A. Commander Data without the makeup.)

Michael Jackson move over...

This guy sings sort of normally until about a third of the way through...
He would make a wailing banshee proud...

R U A L33T H4X0R?

See how far you get...

http://www.hackerskills.com/

So Artful...So Craftful...

This is the result of the dye marathon that I videoed the other day.








Ain't she talented?

The next Yo Yo?

Dyeing in Style

Here is me harrassing my wife as she tries to dye some fiber. And yes, I got permission (as though I'd need it...)

Snow Fly...Dont' bother me.

Looks like I'm not the only one surprised by the snow storm yesterday...

Russian Karaoke

This is my tribute to Vladimir Vysotsky. Find him on the Wikipedia here.
He was a dissenter during the Soviet era, and his rebellious song lyrics drew a large following.
He died at age 42 from liver disease.

Cool Photos

Photos that did not make the cut to be included in the Windows Vista wallpaper collection.

Apocolyptica

Gasp!
I'm in awe...

AArrrr! Toast on the High Seas

Arrr! Get ye grubby paws off me pirate toast!
Read ye here fir more infARRRRmation.
And I hope ye be readin GARRRRRman, or ye not be understandin!

Band

The Boy officially got promoted to the Advanced Band today. When I was talking to the band director when we first signed up, I expressed concern that the Boy would be bored. Slightly taken aback, the director said that there was only 1 4th grade drummer that he had ever promoted to the advanced band(6th graders).
When the whole band actually got together for the first time, we asked the Boy how it went. He went on to explain that there were 2 trumpets, 2 clarinets, a trombone, and 20 snare drums. We all howled. Apparantly the school district lets the students completely choose what instrument they want, and all the boys signed up for the drum. We were really looking forward to that concert...
The boy was also very frustrated, because he kept losing his place in the music, because NO ONE was playing in time, and it was too much for his brain to handle.
So, the advanced band players have already been playing for a few years now, and can sort of stay together.
I'll have to record the Boy telling this story, because I was rolling on the floor laughing when he described how the director was SHOUTING 1...2...3...4 to try to keep the band together with sheer will power. I think it takes a special kind of person to lead an Elementary band.
I'll keep you posted...

May I take your order?

One order of the explodescow son.



The lady will be having pig livings bowel, followed by some cowboy meat. Oh, could she get the small or medium bowl?


And for dessert, we'll add a peaceful.

JJA #5 - Basic Training

Well, I first have to start with one more thing that should have been included in the Reception Post.


My very first Army photo. They take this photo before you even get to basic training, which I find odd, because alot of people drop out, so it should really be a graduation photo. Not only that but some folks lose ALOT of weight in Basic Training, so the picture just becomes a reminder of the pitiful excuse of a human being you were before you got all strong and manly and fit.


Anywho, here it is.

(click to enlarge)
The thing I remember about this morning is that they woke us up around 5 AM, shaved our head, then lined us up for the picture. The other funny thing is that the dress uniform has velcro in the back, so I walked up to the photographer in my jeans (I hadn't even gotten my Army issue clothes at this point), they slapped the uniform over my torso, plopped a hat on my head, and took a snap.
If I recall, I actually tried to smile, because I was feeling grumpy from waking up so early. I guess it didn't help much.

Anyway, on to Basic Training.
In the movies, you see fresh recruits get off a bus, and start to get immediately harrassed by their drill sergeants. I don't remember (big surprise) my first contact. I don't think it was as explosive as the movies, though.
I had the unfortunate displeasure of having 3 drill sergeants. Most of the platoons had just 2, but our class was the last for one drill sergeant, and the first for another. So, to help the new drill sergeant transition in to his new role, they had him in a platoon where one drill sergeant was "retiring".
Being a drill sergeant is a very tough job. They have to be up and perfect when they wake you up at 5 AM, and they are with you until 9 or 10 at night. The standard rotation for a drill sergeant is 2 years. Generally, the Army singles out people it thinks would do well in the position, and asks them to go through the Drill Sergeant school. Yes, there is a school for it. You have the option of refusing, but the refusal goes on your record, and it's not good for your career. Also, drill sergeants get a cool little patch that they can wear on their uniform for the rest of their Army career, so you can readily pick out the people who are or who have ever been a drill sergeant.
Back to BT.
One of the DSs was from Trinidad. This was bad, because no-one could understand his instructions. He would shout something, then we would look at each other in a panic, and start doing just something so we wouldn't look like we weren't trying. Also, it was only several years later that I actually learned the correct words to the cadences he would sing. We just mumbly shouted whatever syllabic approximations we thought he said without actually understanding anything. It was quite humorous.

Anyway, one of the first things they had us do was to learn their names. I remember we were in the barracks, in the "front leaning rest position" (that is basically the up position of a push up, except you just stay there not doing push ups) trying to shout their names in unison. Now, we couldn't all see each other, because there was a row of lockers in the middle of the barracks bay, so we just had to coordinate and eventually say their names in unison, loudly. I don't remember how long it took for us to get it. This was just the first of the mental torture devices they imposed on us.

More next time.




PS
Before you ask...no, its not done yet.

The light at the end of the tunnel

The painting is finally done. All of the cleanup is done as well. The living room has its final set of furniture. Now all that's left is to reorganize everything that we dumped on the dining room table to clear out the living room. That and hooking up the TV. I hope I remember how, because it was quite complicated. Well, at least we can sit on our couch in the living room, that the table is clear enough for the the kids to have breakfast. Time for these paint spackled hands to go to bed. And yes, its really 1:15 Monday morning.
Yawn.