Fenway Bids Farewell to The Rocket

It’s always a special moment when the fans rise to give a special ovation to a player. So as Roger Clemens left the Fenway Park mound in the 7th inning today, his last regular season appearance at Fenway, the crowd stood and gave Roger a standing ovation. Yes, there were a few boos, to be expected given the intensity of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry over the years and the Curse of The Bambino. But the crowd continued to stand and applaud when Roger came out of the dugout to acknowledge the crowd and tip his hat. A class move by all involved.

More from Engrish.com

I always get a good laugh from Engrish.com. They have many examples of how the English language gets butchered by the Japanese. The picture on the right is of a CD by “Eric Crapton”. She don’t rie, she don’t rie, she don’t rie, cocaine…

Canadian World Domination

Dedicated to Canadian World Domination, General Claire and General Jenny plan to “Reorganiz(e) a New World Society of Canucks to suit our loving, kindly, peaceful and diabolical aims”, and to make the world a colder place. If that’s not scary enough, they tell us that Alex Trebek (of Jeopardy! fame) has joined their ranks as “Lord Of Destruction”. I am shaking in my boots! You can also read or write hate mail to Canadian World Domination. Surprisingly, no mention of Shania Twain anywhere on the web site, although the web site does offer apologies to all Canadians for Celine Dion and Alanis Morissette.

There are some sick people out there

A man has been convicted of licking a woman’s feet in a grocery store. The actual charges against him were assault and battery and lewd and lascivious behavior. And it’s his second such conviction, plus he had previously been convicted as a sex offender. Time to throw the book at this man and get him some help, although as the judge in the case notes, “I don’t know what type of counseling someone could undergo for this kind of behavior”.

Captain’s Blog

This is such a blah day, I have no energy or motivation. I have a bunch of projects I want to get done, and I probably will not get any of them done. I just want to lay around and watch TV and be a couch potato.

There’s only one comment I want to make today. That is: have you noticed how careful the United States was not to harm mosques when it invaded Iraq? Notice who is blowing up mosques, and people worshipping there now? Other Arabs, that’s who. Nuff said.

Other than that, I am temporarily suspending this blog until tomorrow.

Driftwood, Map May Help End Amundsen Death Mystery

Roald Amundsen was the first man to reach the South Pole. At least one historian claims he was the first to reach the North Pole as well. He was also the first man to visit both poles, North and South, and and he was the first man to sail a ship through the famous Northwest Passage. Despite all these achievements, Amundsen never lost his love of adventure. He died when his plane was lost on a rescue mission to save another polar explorer. Norway declared him a national hero.

Now, it appears that clues to Amundsen’s disappearance have been discovered in a remote part of the North Atlantic near the Svalbard archipelago. In the spring, a mini-submarine will search for the remains of his airplane in about 300 feet of water. Rest in peace, Roald.

Are you sick of the lyrics your kids hear on the radio??

Well, so am I! I have heard enough lyrics about hate, violence, sex, women as “hoes� (or worse), hate, violence, drugs, sex, gangstas and did I mention sex, hate and violence?

So you know what I do? Don’t laugh, I’m serious! I make my kids listen to the country music station when we ride in the car. Okay, well part of the time I make them listen to it, the rest of the time they listen to whatever they want. And you know what, my kids are starting to like country music.

Now stick with me here for a minute. If you haven’t heard country music lately, its no longer the stereotypical twangy tearjerker where the guy’s girlfriend leaves him for another man, the guy’s dog dies and the guy’s pickup truck won’t start. No way, its much better than that now! Sure there are still some songs in that sad genre, but there are many upbeat songs with positive messages (for example, Lee Ann Womack’s I Hope You Dance). The themes in country music are about life, about emotions, about people, about good times and bad. Country music also has something that is entirely missing from most pop and rap music these days: there’s a lot of humor in country music (Brad Paisley’s Celebrity, Toby Keith’s I Just Wanna Talk About Me, Tracy Byrd’s The Truth About Men, Mark Chesnutt’s Bubba Shot The Jukebox). In fact, I can’t think of a country song with lyrics I’d want to keep away from my kids.

Give it a try before it’s too late. Your kids can grow up wanting to be like Eminem, or they can grow up wanting to be like Alan Jackson. Your choice. You might like the results! You might also enjoy the music along the way.

Holiday Inn Towel Amnesty Day

Have you ever “borrowed� towel from a Holiday Inn? Do you even admit to staying at a Holiday Inn? Well, today is Towel Amnesty Day, and you are forgiven!

What a relief!! (from Electric Venom)

Peoria Pundit vs. Limbaugh

The Peoria Pundit takes on Rush Limbaugh, and gives Rush a good round of criticism. Nice job, Pundit!

Britney Spears and Jenna Jameson??

I think I might faint! Read all about it here. (From Twisted Fans)

Britney and Madonna sucking face on TV? Now that’s what America is all about! (From Adrants.com)

A Satellite Photo of The Blackout (NOT!)

Did you get the e-mail this week with a satellite picture of the United States during the blackout? A lot of people did. And it’s a hoax, a dirty rotten stinkin’ fake. Now, don’t feel bad, a lot of people got fooled. But if you look at the fake photo long enough, it should make you suspicious. Read more about it at Snopes.com and Urban Legends and Folklore. And view some real satellite photos taken during the blackout too, they are linked at both web sites.

Civil Disobedience

Regarding the monument to the Ten Commandments that is causing such a stir in Alabama, a law professor Anthony J. Sebok writes that this particular issue does not meet the civil disobedience test first espoused by Martin Luther King.

I Doubt It

The folks at The Committee For The Scientific Investigation of Claims of The Paranormal want to give you a free decal!

Yes, you too can be skeptical! See, being skeptical and doubting things isn’t a bad thing, it’s a necessary survival strategy in this world. Why? Because, there are a lot of people out there who want you to believe a lot of things. Some of those things might be true, some might be patently false, and others might be indeterminate. How can you tell which is which? By asking for evidence, by being skeptical! Those claims which are true will have high quality evidence and logical arguments supporting them. Those that are false will lack evidence, or rely on specious (look it up in the dictionary) logic. Don’t get fooled again, be skeptical, doubt things! You’ll be glad you did! And if you’d like some pointers on how to evaluate evidence, and how to properly be skeptical, subscibe to CSICOP’s excellent journal, The Skeptical Inquirer.

The Alabama Ten Commandments Monument

According to (former) Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, as quoted by CNN, if the State of Alabama cannot display the Ten Commandments, eventually we “... will not be able to acknowledge the very source of our rights and liberties and the very source of our law.� And no one disputes that much of the principals of American law comes from Christian traditions. But there’s also an important difference that makes American law different from all that came before — the United States wrote into its Constitution freedom of religion and also separation of church and state. And if Judge Moore wants to recognize the “very source of our rights and liberties�, he can’t pick and choose, he has to acknowledge that some of our rights and liberties do not stem from previous Christian traditions.

But let’s look at the Ten Commandments carefully. For example, the commandments “Thou shalt not kill� and “Thou shalt not steal� are clearly parts of American law, but are they part of our law because of the Ten Commandments, or have many societies and many religions prohibited these things? “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor� is part of American law. The commandment “Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbour’s� is a little more problematical, as coveting clearly is not against the law, borrowing something from thy neighbor is clearly not against the law, although taking without asking is. Which brings us to the other six commandments. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me� is clearly not a part of American law, it is a religious statement. What about “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image�? Not part of the law either, clearly a religious statement. And so on, for the commandments “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain�, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy�, “Honour thy father and thy mother�. None of them have any legal meaning in American law. Finally, there’s “Thou shalt not commit adultery�, and last time I looked, adultery between consenting adulterers is perfectly legal here in the good old USA.

So really, the Ten Commandments have little to do with American law. They are filled with religious dictums, and I believe that’s what our founding fathers wanted to prohibit, the government promoting religious beliefs, and the beliefs of one particular religion at that. So the argument doesn’t hold water that the Ten Commandments have anything to do with the “very source of our rights and liberties and the very source of our law�. Let’s get the Ten Commandments monument out of the Alabama Courthouse, and let’s make sure that Judge Moore is permanently removed from from the bench. He is promoting religion, which although is perfectly legal, it is not to be condoned from a sitting American judge.

A Rant About Driving In The Left Lane

Yesterday morning, I was driving along the expressway, when a car entered the Expressway about 1/4 of a mile in front of me. There were very few cars on the road at this time, and this particular driver chose to spend about one-tenth of a second in the right lane (note to non-USA readers: we drive on the right here in the United States) and then immediately moved two lanes to the left so he could be in the left lane. Why? I have no idea. There were certainly no cars in front of him to warrant such a lane change. Someone who has an explanation for this behavior, please let me know. Then, as I caught up to this particular car, I could tell he was going extremely slowly in the left lane, I would guess his speed was about 50 miles per hour. I wish I could hold up a sign as I passed him that said “You drive like a moron!� But, you never have such a sign when you really need it. Later, I checked my rear view mirror to see if this particular car had sped up, and of course he had not. He was getting smaller and smaller in my rear-view mirror. Now, technically, this driver may not have broken any laws, but what he has done is of course extremely stupid, and quite dangerous, as cars in the left lane tend to zip by at around 65 to 75 miles per hour, and going 50 or so is going to cause a lot of unnecessary lane changing and hitting the brakes. I wish I had a good way to let this person know that. If you have a suggestion, please let me know.

The Principality of Sealand

Okay, boys and girls, get out your maps and find The Principality of Sealand.

What? You can’t find it? That’s because it is a “country� built on an abandoned sea platform in the British Channel near the Thames Estuary. It was originally built by Great Britain to protect the mouth of the Thames River, and then it was abandoned after World War II. However, a family then took possession of this steel and concrete structure in international waters, and founded Sealand. According to the Sealand web site, several internation courts have recognized the independence of Sealand. Sealand now has a Royal family, it hosts businesses, it issues stamps and marriage licenses, and has fought a war.

The Diary of Christopher Columbus

Most people know that one of the sad but true facts about Christopher Columbus’s voyage of discovery is that the natives were wiped out within a few decades after Columbus’s first arrival. This was partly due to diseases brought by the Spaniards for which the natives had no immunity; and partly due to the Spaniards lust for gold and spices, which led to armed battles in which the natives had no chance. What I didn’t know was that Columbus himself spoke glowingly and admiringly of the natives he met. In his diary, he offers high praise for the natives’ physical appearance, culture, manners, gentility, cleanliness and agriculture. He offers a very fond description of the great cacique (chief or king) Guacanagari. The Admiral left strict instructions for his men not to disturb native villages, nor should they take any native belongings.

… they should greatly respect King Guacanagari and his chiefs and principal men, or nitaynos, and other inferior chiefs. And they should avoid as they would death annoying or tormenting the Indians, bearing in mind how much they owe these people, and why it is necessary to keep them content, since they are remaining in Indian land and under Indian dominion. They should strive, by their honest and gentle speech, to gain the good will of the Indians, keeping their friendship and love, so that our relationship with them will be as friendly and pleasant, and more so, when I return.

Sadly, the men left by Columbus at La Navidad on Hispañola, the first fort made by Europeans in the New World, ignored these instructions and all perished, as did many natives. It was the beginning of the end for the Taino culture.

Huh?

The folks at Huh? are in business! According to the promotional material on their website,

Our ideas will entice and excite you. Our professional solutions will give you the confidence to succeed. And our website will make you think we know what we're doing.

Our name will confuse you, but, you have to admit, the logo is pretty cool. We can make a cool logo for you too, if you want.

Our office is really modern and we've got nice computers and stuff. If you ever saw it, you'd say "Wow, cool office. These guys are legit."

(via the J-Walk Blog)

Modern Science Triumphs Again!

Thanks to the wonders of Internet search engines, this particular blog has been found, via Google, when someone entered a search for “Disney porn star like lizzie mcguire”. See, there’s no actual porn on this blog, although Google doesn’t know that. There was an entry in this blog about Lizzie McGuire, and there was a comment in this blog about a candidate in the California gubernatorial election, porn publisher Larry Flynt. So, Google put those together, and voila! A hit! I’m so proud! Aren’t Internet search engines wonderful?

Nevertheless, it does seems as if a lot of the traffic to this site (over 740 hits at the time of this writing) comes from searches at either Google or Yahoo!, and most of the rest comes from The Presurfer or from Blogger.com. But, please take a few minutes, browse this blog (or read the whole thing) and let your friends know if you like it. Let me know too (by clicking on the “talk to me” button). And if you would be so kind, link this blog on your home page or blog. Thanks!

Another Lunatic Surfaces in the Kobe Bryant Drama

According to a Reuters story, an Iowa man has been arrested for threatening to kill one of the witnesses in the Kobe Bryant case. You knew that this would happen, because this case has brought the lunatics out from the closet. You see, these lunatics have to be thinking that their enjoyment of the Los Angeles Lakers, or perhaps their success in a fantasy basketball league, is at stake, and therefore violence (or threats of violence) is the only recourse. I wish I knew how our society breeds these lunatics, one is too many, and I think there are plenty more than this one. It is my humble opinion that people who get this deranged about sports are not really sports fans, they are not even civilized human beings.

Holy Commandments, Batman!

You have to wonder what is going on in Alabama. Several courts, including the United States Supreme Court, have instructed Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore to remove a large monument of the Ten Commandments. Even the other eight justices on the Alabama Supreme Court have issued an order to remove the monument. Moore has refused, and will probably be held in contempt of court. The unanimous decision by the eight other Alabama Supreme Court Justices can be read here, it has a bit of legalese, but it’s very readable. They say, “The refusal of officers of this court to obey a binding order of a federal court of competent jurisdiction would impair the authority and ability of all of the courts of this State to enforce their judgments�. In other words, if you don’t follow the judgments of other courts, why should anybody feel compelled to follow your judgments?

More simply, what do you think Judge Moore would do to a defendant who refused to comply with one of the judge’s orders? Well, I think that’s what we should do with Judge Moore.

Protect Your PC
This is a plea to all computer users to practice safe computing — have up-to-date virus protection software, use a firewall (I recommend Zone Alarm) and regularly run Windows Update to make sure the latest security patches have been applied to your Windows computer. Why bother? Because all it takes is one worm or virus, and your computer may be useless. You may lose all your important data (which should be backed up anyway), but even if that doesn’t happen, you run the risk of having to spend several hours re-installing everything on your computer. Your computer can infect others (you don’t want to do that, do you?) and then other people won’t like you. Please, people, if you’ve been ignoring all the warnings about safe computing, start paying attention and taking action. We’ll all feel better. If you don’t want to practice safe computing, get off my Internet, thank you.

Bling Bling

As hip as I am, I have been hearing this phrase “bling bling” for months now, without knowing what it meant. I guess I’m one suburban line-dancing whitey who is too afraid to discuss this topic with his more up-to-date friends, out of a fear that I would look, well, like a suburban line-dancing whitey. So finally I had to look it up at UrbanDictionary.com. Much to my surprise, this phrase had nothing to do with sex. Among the many definitions of “bling bling” are:

1) A style of flashy attire, usually chains, worn by those pretending to be gangsters of some sort in an attempt to be the largest and flashiest looking. (I did not know that!)
2) A panda bear from China (now that I can believe!)

Yo, that’s whack!

Body Sushi Again
I reported on the new culinary trend called “Body Sushi� here in this blog on August 12, but I couldn’t find a link to a photo. But thanks to Adrants.com, here is a photo!

Modern Science measures Ancient Earthquake

From historical writings, the earthquake of January 16, 749 (that’s not a typo, that’s really 1,254 years ago) was known to be one of the strongest ever felt in the Mediterranean. Thousands died, there were huge tidal waves, and one city was reportedly moved four miles. Now, in a fascinating application of modern science, this earthquake has been estimated at 7 to 7.5 on the Richter scale. Read it yourself and be amazed.

The Internet Pizza Server
Now you can order your very own pizza right here on the Internet, from the Internet Pizza Server, and it will be delivered to you before you can count to 300 billion! And what a selection of toppings! Under meats, you can select from beef, pork, eyeballs, goblins, etc. You can also add veggies (I skipped those), breakfast items, sporting goods, junk food, aphrodesiacs and miscellaneous! They proudly proclaim that “All Internet Pizza Server pies are made with 100% recycled electrons — don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!�

Bicycling
In my ongoing efforts to get more exercise and lose weight, I have taken up the manly sport of bicycling. Not that anyone would confuse me with Lance Armstrong yet, but I have found its a way to get very intimate with your neighborhood. You learn every crack in the sidewalk, every manhole and the names of the local groundhogs and chipmunks. I find it very enjoyable so far. The last two days I went on my longest bike trip so far, about 4 miles round trip (not bad for someone who has been quite a couch potato recently) following the Erie Canal from Edgewood Road to Interstate 390. It’s quite scenic, even if it is manmade. But I do have a few complaints, and if you know who is responsible for these things, please let me know.

First, whose idea was it to put all these hills in my path? I mean really, the worst place you can put a hill is in the path of a beginning biker. And don't give me “those are such small hills�, if you’re going to design a neighborhood to encourage bikers, get rid of the hills.

Secondly, railroad tracks? Come on, folks, crossing railroad tracks on a bicycle is not my idea of fun.

Finally, why is my bicycle seat so hard? I need to get a softer one. And some epsom salts.

Where Are You, Amelia Earhart?

Whilst you were wondering who to draft on your fantasy football team, many researchers have been painstakingly searching through jungles, uninhabited Pacific Islands, historical archives and the bottom of the ocean, and have arrived at about 7 different theories. Suffice it to say that after all this scholarship, Amelia can be anywhere in about a million square mile region (give or take a few hundred thousand square miles). The Billings Gazette reports on two theories that have been researched recently. Another theory can be found at The Earhart Project. Naturally, they can’t all be right, in fact maybe none of them are right — the only thing you can be sure of is that some of these “experts” are dead wrong. Read all the theories, and you decide!

Normally, We Don’t Discuss Religion Here
From The Presurfer (one of my favorite blogs), we learn of the Church of The Apathetic Agnostic. “We don’t know and we don’t care�. Plus check out the blog Unusual Churches, also brought to you by The Presurfer.

It’s A Cell Phone! It’s A Vibrator!
“The Purring Kitty transforms selected mobile phones into discrete, vibrating massagers ... Its tender purring vibrations provide perfect company on even the loneliest winter nights!� Instead of surprising your woman with a phone call, surprise her with The Purring Kitty!

Now That’s A Vibrating Phone!
This advertisement for a vibrating phone certainly exaggerates the effect of the vibrations, but after watching the video, you want to run out and buy the phone. From Adrants.com

How moronic can you be?
A recent post in the Usenet newsgroup wny.rochester.freenet says, in its entirety, “It looks as if God has sent his message to liberals in New York to kewl it, or else he will turn off all the air conditioners and let liberals fry in their own hell.�

Now let’s examine this statement. First of all, it implies that the blackout was a message to liberals (not to anyone else). How can that be, how can a event that affected approximately 50 million people, liberals, conservatives and others, be interpreted as only a message to liberals? Do you think that if God himself (or herself) really wanted to send a message to liberals, he’d choose an event that affected conservatives equally? Maybe the writer of that message needs a more positive view of God. Maybe the writer of that message needs a course in logic as well. But of course, that’s not obvious to anyone who is illogical. Finally, note the attempt to take an unfortunate apolitical event and turn it into a way to bash one side of the political spectrum. Sad, very sad. And completely unnecessary ... its not nearly the same as debating the actual issues involved.

There's a saying in the Usenet community “Don’t feed the trolls.� The writer of that statement clearly was a troll, a person who exists primarily to argue, without any valid points, in a way that will get people all riled up. His goal is to stir things up. Thus I have chosen not to argue with him but to show his stupidity here, where the intelligent readers of this blog might get a chuckle out of it, and without feeding the troll.

The Internet Squeegee Guy
“You've just pulled right up to a stoplight on the Superhighway. The Internet Squeegee Guy will wash the inside of your monitor screen for spare change. Do you help the poor guy or not? What should you do ...what WILL you do?�

What’s New At The Trailer Park?
Want to find out the latest in Trailer Park fashions? How to throw a Trailer Park Party? How to make Trailer Park Whore Derves?

Well, I’m glad you asked! Because all of this information and more has been compiled for you at Jolene’s Trailer Park Heaven. This web site, put together by Jolene Sugarbaker, who proudly tells visitors to her website, “I’ve learned you don’t have to be embarrased to cut coupons, shop at the Dollar Store and talk about your life’s problems!� You can even buy the latest in Trailer Park fashions, for example, a T-shirt from God that reads “Sorry about the tornados�, or decorate your mobile home with items from the on-line Trailer Park store.

Pretty Pictures for Your Desktop and Screensaver
Webshots.com can make your computer desktop a nicer place. You can download pretty pictures from a huge library and have them become your desktop backgound, or part of your screensaver, and its all made easy by the webshots software, which you can also download (it’s free, there’s also a pay version with even more features). The picture library lets you choose what kind of pictures you want; nature scenes, sports, cityscapes, bikinis, etc. Mix and match, or download the daily recommendations. All pictures downloaded are imported into the software automatically (even if you don't have a clue how to change your background or screensaver, Webshots makes it simple). Check out Webshots, you'll be glad you did.

Blackout Comments
First, let me congratulate all Americans involved in the blackout for resisting the urge to go on a looting spree. I am very impressed. I expected many stories of looting from every city that was affected, and the incidents of looting across the country can be country on your fingers and toes. You get more than that when a team wins the World Series!

Next, let me also congratulate everyone who cooperated with others during the blackout, or lent a helping hand. This is America at its very best. Our behavior, collectively, during the blackout, was outstanding.

Last night, I wondered how long the blackout was going to last, and yet once I got used to the idea of no air conditioning, no electricity, no computer and basically having all my plans changed, I was fine. I guess I can live without modern technology for a period of time. It wasn't even that hard to do.

So, the question now faces all of us ... what do we do about this? Do we pay (read taxes and increased bills from the power companies) to modernize our electical distribution system and prevent this in the future? Or are there other priorities? If this happens once every 25 years or so, then I think we’re fine, but if as I assume the problem is going to recur, and maybe even regularly, then I think we need to open our wallets and get this thing modernized and fixed. What do you think?

When The Lights Go Out
Can’t they fix this? Don’t they realize that no power interferes with Blogging? How can we keep up with the Kobe Bryant and J-Lo stories if there’s no power? Geesh!Ignore that last part

Actually, the Blackout on 2003 turned into a fun experience, after I got home. Getting home was kind of slow, as traffic stopped at almost every intersection. I did get to spend a lot of time with my neighbors, whom I didn't know well up until know. But we talked, cooked dinner on the grill together, shared alcoholic drinks together, and generally had a fine time. What a nice group of neighbors! We should have more occasional blackouts!

Man’s Best Friend and Designated Driver!
“A German man of Polish origin lost his driving license after failing an alcohol test but his dog passed with flying colors� according to this Reuters news story. It’s nice to know there was one responsible mammal in the car. I wonder why the phrase “of Polish origin� was necessary in this news story? Uh, oh, now the political correctness police will be on the case!

Allow Me To Introduce...
A new guinea pig, Jewel, has joined Paige’s Place. She is about 6 months old, very long-haired, colored almost like a skunk with a large white streak on the back of her head surrounded by black, and she is a “scaredy-pig�. But she will get used to me, I'm sure, just like she is getting used to my other three guinea pigs, Sophie, Whitefoot and Charcoal. At some point, I expect Jewel will be contributing to this blog, so please leave her a comment by clicking on the “Comment� button below. Squeak squeak!

Say it ain’t so, Joe ... er ... Ted
Baseball Hall-of-Famer Ted Williams was decapitated after his death. No, really! See, according to Sports Illustrated, the Splendid Splinter’s head was removed from his body after his death to prepare for cryogenic freezing. Well, that’s how I would do it too, if I was in the cryogenic freezing business. The article goes on to note that some samples of Williams’ DNA are now missing, and that his skull was accidentally cracked in 10 places during this particular operation. Nice to know the whole process of death is being professionally handled by qualified personnel.

Body Sushi
The Los Angeles Times reports on a new Southern California culinary trend, body sushi. According to the article, your sushi is served on a “platter� which is a scantily clad woman, wearing nothing but a g-string and some carefully placed artificial flowers. Why didn’t I think of that? According to the article, it is an invention of restauranteur Gary Arabia, who provides body sushi though his new corporation, Global Cuisine. On his website is a picture of such a scantily clad young lady, serving as a “platter� for body sushi. However, there is no direct link to this photo, since it appears as part of a Macromedia Flash animation, you’ll just have to browse around to find it.

The California Governor’s Race
So far, Arnold (yes, you know who I mean, not Arnold the Pig from Green Acres) has refused to provide any substance regarding policies or positions he might take if he is elected Governor of California. Polls show he is the leading candidate, which is a scary thing, because people obviously like him because he was a well-known popular actor. And that's not a good reason to elect someone to any position, let alone Governor. According to the Los Angeles Times:

Over the first five days of his campaign, as he glided from one media-festooned event to the next, Hollywood actor and gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger has promised to create jobs, clean up Sacramento and make children his top priority as governor.

But he has said close to nothing about how he would do those things, ducked questions on other topics and declined all interview requests from California's political press, even as the Oct. 7 recall election looms.

The people of California deserve better from the leading candidate for Governor. Here’s my wish for California — that substance, not image wins out. Here’s my view of most elections — image wins big-time, which is why so many elections wind up in name-calling, mean-spirited attacks and unhappy voters.

Jewish Indian Chief
From Winds of Change.Net, we learn of the story of the Jewish Indian Chief.

Solomon Bibo (was) a white trader who won the trust and affection of the Acoma Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. In 1888, “Don Solomono,� as he was known to the Acomas, became governor of the Acoma Pueblo, the equivalent of chief of the tribe. Remarkably, the Acomas asked the United States to recognize Bibo as their leader. Even more remarkable is that Bibo was a Jew.

Book Reviews
Author: Steven Raichlen
Titles: The Barbecue Bible, How To Grill, Sauces Rubs and Marinades

Steven Raichlen is the guru of grilling. These three books are the best thing that has ever happened to backyard grilling. If you were like me, you could do a great job of throwing a hamburger, hot dog or steak on the grill. Yep, shut the cover, turn it over a few minutes later, and let it cook till its done. And now, with these three books, I am the Iron Chef of backyard grilling. Just follow the recipes, and you wind up making incredible barbecued chicken, pork chops, ribs, veggies, Italian Sausages, and even barbecued cabbage. You can make your own barbecue sauces and rubs, and you get step by step instructions on the cooking and preparation of your culinary masterpieces. If you’re going to start with just one of these three books, go for How To Grill, which contains beautiful, clear illustrations of every step of the preparation and cooking process. Even if you’ve never cut a piece of raw meat before, this book illustrates the process so that even I could follow it. But do get the entire set of three, and go nuts on your grill. You won’t be sorry. Raichlen also has a new book out, BBQ USA, which I haven’t yet tried, but if its the same calibre as the three I have, you will find it is worth every penny.

International Federation of Competitive Eating
IFOCE sponsors competitive eating contests around the world, keeps records and makes sure that certain safety standards are upheld. You may have heard that for the third straight year Takeru Kobayashi of Japan won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. The most interesting part of this web site is the records, where we learn that Kobayashi ate 50.5 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes, and he also ate (at a different contest, I presume) 57 cow brains in 15 minutes. I shudder at the thought! Oleg Zhornitsky, never having previously eaten a Buffalo style chicken wing in his life, set a world record by eating 74 wings in 12 minutes. And you thought you were a pig!

A Computer That Reads Your Mind?
Can a computer, hooked up to the internet, read the mind of a person sitting at another internet computer? Judge for yourself, at Clifford Pickover’s ESP Experiment. Please give this experiment a fair chance, follow the instructions as they are given, and see if the computer does indeed read your mind. The whole thing takes less than two minutes.

Please note, this is a card trick, and nothing more, unless of course you really believe in ESP, in which case the computer really is reading your mind. But stop back and let me know what you think, and of course, let Clifford Pickover know too. You might also want to read what other people think.

As this web site says “Be afraid. Be very afraid. If I can guess your card, what else can I know about you?”

Titanic Decaying Faster
The New York Times reports (free registration required):

Titanic, assailed by rust as well as by hundreds of explorers and moviemakers, salvors and tourists (including a couple who were married in a miniature submarine on its bow), is rapidly falling apart.

The California Governor’s Race

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gary Coleman, Larry Flynt ... Larry Flynt?? Based upon their entertainment careers or their publishing careers, they might appeal to people more than actual experienced politicians will. One can only hope that the race is decided by the issues, and not based upon a person’s celebrity. Yet when you see people lining up to get Arnold’s autograph now that he has announced his candidacy, you have to wonder if his recent performance in Terminator 3 will get him elected. You wonder if his campaign slogan (referring to current Governor Gray Davis, who might be recalled by the voters) is: “Hasta la vista, baby!” Or Gary Coleman’s slogan: “What I lack in height, I make up in cute!” (Barf!) Larry Flynt’s slogan: “A porn-star in every house!”

Book Review
Author: Robert Hughes
Title: The Fatal Shore (The epic of Australia’s founding)

In 1787, the twenty-eighth year of the reign of King George III, the British Government sent a fleet to colonize Australia.

Never had a colony been founded so far from its parent state, or in such ignorance of the land it occupied. There had been no reconnaissance. In 1770, Captain James Cook had made landfall on the unexplored east coast of this utterly enigmatic continent, stopped for a short while at a place named Botany Bay and gone north again. Since then, no ship had called: not a word, not an observation, for seventeen years, each one of which was exactly like the thousands that had preceded it, locked in its historical immensity of blue heat, bush, sandstone and the measured booming of glassy Pacific rollers.

Now this coast was to witness a new colonial experiment, never tried before, not repeated since. An unexplored continent would become a jail. The space around it, the very air and sea, the whole transparent labyrinth of the South Pacific, would become a wall 14,000 miles thick.

This book was very engrossing, although difficult to read at times, due to the descriptions of the punishments given to the prisoners. One could say this book shows just how brutal humans can be to other humans. Nevertheless, the book is a story filled with extremely interesting characters, plots and anecdotes. I enjoyed it tremendously. On a scale of 10 eyeglasses, I give this book 9 eyeglasses.

Goodbye, Lizzie McGuire

As a parent, I really grew to like Disney’s TV show Lizzie McGuire. But now CNN reports that there will be no more Lizzie. The young actress, Hilary Duff, has decided to pursue other entertainment opportunities. The really great thing about Lizzie McGuire was that it told the story of three typical American 9th graders, without resorting to them sleeping with each other, without their parents cheating on each other or abusing each other, and without drugs, alcohol, or attitude. Which seems to me to be a much more realistic portrayal of what really goes on in most of America’s high schools and junior high schools. Nevertheless, the good news is that The Disney Channel will continue to run Lizzie McGuire for a few more months, so if you haven’t seen it, check it out. And of course, we all get to watch actress Hilary Duff continue to star in the entertainment field, in future projects. That should be very rewarding and heartwarming as well.

The Fart Farm
“Right then, lets get straight to the point. FARTING - I LOVE IT.� And so, we are treated to a web site where you can find out everything you want to know about Frequency Actuated Rectal Tremors (FARTs). Read Fart stories, read fart poems, and hear Fart .wav files. It’s all there for your browsing pleasure.

This is scary, NBA style

Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks, has stated that the current controversy over NBA star Kobe Bryant, accused of raping a woman in Colorado, is actually good for the NBA. Cuban, always known as an outspoken owner, says “From a business perspective, it’s great for the NBA. It's reality television, people love train-wreck television and you hate to admit it, but that is the truth, that’s the reality today”?. It’s hard for me to imagine the NBA selling more tickets or apparel, or getting better television ratings because of this (Court TV migh