Happy 75th birthday to Christopher Walken. My favorite Walken movies:
1. The Dead Zone
2. Pulp Fiction
3. Suicide Kings
4. Biloxi Blues
5. The Deer Hunter
His role in the 2002 Man on Fire almost makes the list just for the fact that the last thing he says in the movie is "I have nothing else to say." He meant that he had no more lines in the script but the director left it in the final cut.
As a bonus - here's Walken reading Where the Wild Things Are
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Friday, March 30, 2018
The Importance of a Single Vote
On this date in 1867 the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for the price of $7 million which worked out to about $.02 per acre. This purchase was known at the time as Seward's Folly after Secretary of State William Seward who arranged the purchase. Seward was also in charge of trying to get the Senate to ratify the treaty authorizing the purchase. The treaty was ratified on April 9th but it passed by a single vote.
Think of that. If one person changed their vote from yes to no - Alaska might not be part of the US today.
Think of that. If one person changed their vote from yes to no - Alaska might not be part of the US today.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- On March 26th 73 years ago the US Marines secured the island of Iwo Jima. I still say that high school students should need to learn of the sacrifices of the Marines on Iwo Jima as a requirement for graduation.
- The Road Not Taken perhaps the most misread poem in history
- Or a cautionary tale of lazy cartoonists
- South Korea agrees to open auto market in exchange for exemption from steel tariffs.
- Heh heh
- US net petroleum imports fall below 18% for the first time in 50-years. It would be interesting to learn if oil from Canada or Mexico is also included in that number. Energy independence was once thought a "pipe" dream.
- New cancer vaccine ready for human trial. Faster please!
- On March 26th 73 years ago the US Marines secured the island of Iwo Jima. I still say that high school students should need to learn of the sacrifices of the Marines on Iwo Jima as a requirement for graduation.
- The Road Not Taken perhaps the most misread poem in history
- Or a cautionary tale of lazy cartoonists
- South Korea agrees to open auto market in exchange for exemption from steel tariffs.
- Heh heh
- US net petroleum imports fall below 18% for the first time in 50-years. It would be interesting to learn if oil from Canada or Mexico is also included in that number. Energy independence was once thought a "pipe" dream.
- New cancer vaccine ready for human trial. Faster please!
How to Prepare Chicken
A waiter asks a man, "May I take your order, sir?"
"Yes," the man replies. "I'm just wondering, exactly how do you prepare your chickens?"
"Nothing special, sir. We just tell them straight out that they're going to die."
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Heh heh (am I a bad person in that I want to use this line in real life?)
- Elon Musk takes down Tesla and SpaceX Facebook pages.
- You do have to read this in Brent Musberger's voice (though I can live without the "you are looking live!" visual it generated)
- The kind of data Facebook mines from your profile (including your doctors). People finally taking privacy seriously may be one of the great unintended consequences of electing Trump President.
- Fantastic real story of the "double life of 'marvelous Chinese conjurer'"
- Very cool!
- This is why every morning the first thing you should do is thank God you live in the USA
- Heh heh (am I a bad person in that I want to use this line in real life?)
- Elon Musk takes down Tesla and SpaceX Facebook pages.
- You do have to read this in Brent Musberger's voice (though I can live without the "you are looking live!" visual it generated)
- The kind of data Facebook mines from your profile (including your doctors). People finally taking privacy seriously may be one of the great unintended consequences of electing Trump President.
- Fantastic real story of the "double life of 'marvelous Chinese conjurer'"
- Very cool!
- This is why every morning the first thing you should do is thank God you live in the USA
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum last night became the ninth rookie in Celtics history to score 1,000 or more points.
He joins pretty illustrious company. The first five guys are Hall of Famers. Radja's careen was cut short by injury; Walker was a 3-time All-Star who scored over 15,000 points in his career and Ron Mercer had an 8-year NBA career. If Tatum just averages the careers of the 8 other guys on the list the chances are high that he too will be a Hall of Famer.
Nice pick by Danny Ainge.
2017-18 Jayson Tatum
1997-98 Ron Mercer
1996-97 Antoine Walker
1993-94 Dino Radja
1979-80 Larry Bird
1970-71 Dave Cowens
1962-63 John Havlicek
1956-57 Tommy Heinsohn
1950-51 Bob Cousy
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- The only thing keeping cable TV alive is expensive Internet packages
- Heh heh
- Terry Pratchett's Discworld finally being made into a TV series
- Funny because it's true!
- Stem cell treatment drastically reduces drinking in alcoholic rats. Mesenchymal stem cells seem to be the super answer to many human maladies (including potentially aging)
- These 12 questions deserve answers. But I'm not holding my breath.
- Heh heh
- The only thing keeping cable TV alive is expensive Internet packages
- Heh heh
- Terry Pratchett's Discworld finally being made into a TV series
- Funny because it's true!
- Stem cell treatment drastically reduces drinking in alcoholic rats. Mesenchymal stem cells seem to be the super answer to many human maladies (including potentially aging)
- These 12 questions deserve answers. But I'm not holding my breath.
- Heh heh
Monday, March 26, 2018
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
The simple solution to the snowflakes at Holy Cross having an issue with the Crusader mascot is to hold an Internet poll for a replacement. They totally deserve Jesuit McJesuitface... Heh heh... In the articles following the death of Stephen Hawking it was noted by many that in 1979 he was made the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge and that the post was once held by Sir Isaac Newton. Almost no one noted that post was also held by Paul Dirac, Nobel Prize winner, one of the founders of quantum mechanics and one of the most under-appreciated geniuses of the 20th century... Heh heh... Great advice: "Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution." - Albert Einstein... On social media, privacy is no longer a personal choice...Still can't believe Jeff Fisher hasn't gotten another NFL head coaching job yet...
The simple solution to the snowflakes at Holy Cross having an issue with the Crusader mascot is to hold an Internet poll for a replacement. They totally deserve Jesuit McJesuitface... Heh heh... In the articles following the death of Stephen Hawking it was noted by many that in 1979 he was made the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge and that the post was once held by Sir Isaac Newton. Almost no one noted that post was also held by Paul Dirac, Nobel Prize winner, one of the founders of quantum mechanics and one of the most under-appreciated geniuses of the 20th century... Heh heh... Great advice: "Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution." - Albert Einstein... On social media, privacy is no longer a personal choice...Still can't believe Jeff Fisher hasn't gotten another NFL head coaching job yet...
From Giddy-up to Ho! and Other Phrases
Heard someone say, "Everything from giddy-up to ho!" the other day. It was my first time hearing that phrase. I like it! It means from beginning to end and everything in between. It's much better than, "From soup to nuts." People are much more likely to ride a horse at some point than have a six or seven course meal these days.
Granted I don't have the opportunity to use "from start to finish" much but from now on I'm going to try to employ "Everything from giddy-up to ho!". As far as I'm concerned "From soup to nuts" is right out.
Speaking of phrases that don't seem to get used much anymore. Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented sliced bread in 1927 (actually the process for automatically slicing bread). This gave rise to the phrase, "the best thing since sliced bread." You don't hear that one much anymore. I wonder if that's because of people being on low carb diets and bread (sliced or otherwise) now being looked at as something bad. Or maybe with all the new technology in the past two decades the idea of sliced bread just isn't that impressive.
Maybe if it was made with 3-D printing?
Granted I don't have the opportunity to use "from start to finish" much but from now on I'm going to try to employ "Everything from giddy-up to ho!". As far as I'm concerned "From soup to nuts" is right out.
Speaking of phrases that don't seem to get used much anymore. Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented sliced bread in 1927 (actually the process for automatically slicing bread). This gave rise to the phrase, "the best thing since sliced bread." You don't hear that one much anymore. I wonder if that's because of people being on low carb diets and bread (sliced or otherwise) now being looked at as something bad. Or maybe with all the new technology in the past two decades the idea of sliced bread just isn't that impressive.
Maybe if it was made with 3-D printing?
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Approaching "grand solar minimum" could cause global cooling. But remember the science is settled.
- Cool
- What I learned living next to crack dealers
- This helps explain why there is a growing feeling of "a pox on both their houses" from Independents and those in the center
- This story isn't going away for Mark Cuban
- How GM is beating Ford in China
- Maybe the best GIF of all-time
- Approaching "grand solar minimum" could cause global cooling. But remember the science is settled.
- Cool
- What I learned living next to crack dealers
- This helps explain why there is a growing feeling of "a pox on both their houses" from Independents and those in the center
- This story isn't going away for Mark Cuban
- How GM is beating Ford in China
- Maybe the best GIF of all-time
Friday, March 23, 2018
Facebook and Your Private Data
When the Obama campaign strip-mined Facebook it was OK. When Cambridge Analytica did it - it's a panic. There's a real double standard going on here and if you don't acknowledge that you really aren't being honest with yourself. It should also bother you that Silicon Valley is just making up rules about how to treat your private data as it goes along.
Remember, "if you're not paying for something, you're not the customer, you're the product being sold." Also remember that Mark Zuckerberg considers you "dumb f*cks" for trusting him with your data in the first place. And to be clear - I don't blame Zuckerberg. How did you think he became a billionaire? Offering services for free? Grow up and own that you are the product and that your data is the price you pay for Farmville (or whatever time wasters Facebooks offers since I'm not on Facebook I don't know).
Now ask yourself what real benefits you get from Facebook and are they worth the time-suck it takes away from your life then add in the loss of privacy. What more productive things could you be doing with all that time you waste on Facebook? What are the benefits you could gain from those activities?
Why are you still on Facebook?
I'm also seriously rethinking my feelings about what Julian Assange did.
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- It will be interesting to read the details of why the Inspector General recommended the immediate termination of Andrew McCabe. It will also be interesting if this melts down any support for former FBI Director James Comey on either side of the aisle.
- Heh Heh
- Judicial Watch says McCabe should have been fired months ago. Hard to argue with the reasons they list.
- 2 U's, 2 K's, 2 Points
- Want - 150 Northeast Lighthouses on one illustrated poster
- Not convinced Tesla should accept a joint venture with China.
- I guess you'd say this was street justice
- It will be interesting to read the details of why the Inspector General recommended the immediate termination of Andrew McCabe. It will also be interesting if this melts down any support for former FBI Director James Comey on either side of the aisle.
- Heh Heh
- Judicial Watch says McCabe should have been fired months ago. Hard to argue with the reasons they list.
- 2 U's, 2 K's, 2 Points
- Want - 150 Northeast Lighthouses on one illustrated poster
- Not convinced Tesla should accept a joint venture with China.
- I guess you'd say this was street justice
Happy Birthday to Bobby Orr
Happy 70th birthday to #4 Bobby Orr. Not only one of the 3 greatest hockey players in history but arguable the greatest MAN to play hockey.
Here's a reminder of the type of person Robert Gordon Orr is.
Monday, March 19, 2018
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- If credit card commercials were real life
- Also Grief Bacon would be a good name for a Depeche Mode cover band.
- Classic Internet - The crazy nastyass Honey Badger. Still funny 7-years later.
- Me on the morning of St. Patrick's Day vs. me on the morning after St. Patrick's Day
- Very cool potential health testing tool
- The last 50 final round broadcasts of the Masters are now available on YouTube. This is going to kill the productivity of many people in the next few weeks.
- 50 million Facebook user profiles harvested by Cambridge Analytica in major "data breach" (is it still a data breach if Facebook just sold the data?)
- If credit card commercials were real life
- Also Grief Bacon would be a good name for a Depeche Mode cover band.
- Classic Internet - The crazy nastyass Honey Badger. Still funny 7-years later.
- Me on the morning of St. Patrick's Day vs. me on the morning after St. Patrick's Day
- Very cool potential health testing tool
- The last 50 final round broadcasts of the Masters are now available on YouTube. This is going to kill the productivity of many people in the next few weeks.
- 50 million Facebook user profiles harvested by Cambridge Analytica in major "data breach" (is it still a data breach if Facebook just sold the data?)
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Stephen Hawking's Voice
"London is burning and I live by the river" - Stephen HawkingStephen Hawking had one of the most unique and recognizable voices in the world. The thing is - it wasn't really unique. It was computer synthesized and thus fairly easy to replicate. Can you imagine the potential?
You could have Stephen Hawking's voice do cover songs. It wouldn't work for some songs like the Beatle's Helter Skelter or the Butthole Surfers' Pepper but how cool would it be to hear some Sinatra covers or the smooth baby-making songs of Teddy Pendergrass done by Stephen Hawking's voice.
You could also have Stephen Hawking's voice cover classic comedy bits. Like George Carlin's A Place for My Stuff. Admit it - you'd check that out just out of curiosity.
Linky Links
Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.
- Niall Ferguson has an interesting point. The steel tariffs do make a lot of sense if they are part of an overall strategy to pressure China over North Korea.
- Still think John Skipper was forced out of ESPN because of corporate politics and direction more than because of cocaine use or potential extortion.
- If Stephen Hawking was just a famous genius guy in a wheelchair to you - this post let's you understand what Stephen Hawking was really famous for.
- Heh Heh (took me a minute)
- Cool science
- Holy Cross to dump knight mascot but keep Crusader name. The people running Holy Cross seem to be a bunch of spineless idiots.
- Who knew? The phrase "I'd drink her dirty bathwater" first originated with an Irish nun.
- Niall Ferguson has an interesting point. The steel tariffs do make a lot of sense if they are part of an overall strategy to pressure China over North Korea.
- Still think John Skipper was forced out of ESPN because of corporate politics and direction more than because of cocaine use or potential extortion.
- If Stephen Hawking was just a famous genius guy in a wheelchair to you - this post let's you understand what Stephen Hawking was really famous for.
- Heh Heh (took me a minute)
- Cool science
- Holy Cross to dump knight mascot but keep Crusader name. The people running Holy Cross seem to be a bunch of spineless idiots.
- Who knew? The phrase "I'd drink her dirty bathwater" first originated with an Irish nun.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
My favorite thing about 16 seed UMBC's upset over number 1 seed Virginia is the fact that to most people Stringer Bell from The Wire is UMBC's most famous alumni... Heh heh... This is tangentially Irish but did you know the scientific term "quarks" (a type of subatomic particle) was taken from James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake?... So beautiful (Keukenhof, Holland)... Danny Woodhead has announced his retirement from the NFL. He was one of the easiest people to root for in the past decade... Opening Day is fast approaching. We are that much closer to the dulcet tones of Carl Ripken Jr. calling baseball games... Was on a recent JetBlue flight where they had to shut down the entire plane prior to take-off to reboot the plane's computer system. Guy next to me commented "I guess CTRL ALT DEL didn't work"...
My favorite thing about 16 seed UMBC's upset over number 1 seed Virginia is the fact that to most people Stringer Bell from The Wire is UMBC's most famous alumni... Heh heh... This is tangentially Irish but did you know the scientific term "quarks" (a type of subatomic particle) was taken from James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake?... So beautiful (Keukenhof, Holland)... Danny Woodhead has announced his retirement from the NFL. He was one of the easiest people to root for in the past decade... Opening Day is fast approaching. We are that much closer to the dulcet tones of Carl Ripken Jr. calling baseball games... Was on a recent JetBlue flight where they had to shut down the entire plane prior to take-off to reboot the plane's computer system. Guy next to me commented "I guess CTRL ALT DEL didn't work"...
Top 5 - Saint Patrick's Day Irish Music
Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Here are my Top 5 Songs for celebrating Saint Patrick's Day (because Oh Danny Boy is shite).
1. Rocky Road to Dublin
2. If I Should Fall From Grace with God - The Pogues
3. Four Green Fields - Makem & Clancy
4. The Foggy Dew - Sinead O'Connor and the Chieftains
5. I'm Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphy's
1. Rocky Road to Dublin
2. If I Should Fall From Grace with God - The Pogues
3. Four Green Fields - Makem & Clancy
4. The Foggy Dew - Sinead O'Connor and the Chieftains
5. I'm Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphy's
Friday, March 16, 2018
How Bitcoin and Bitmining Effected a Rural Washington Community
Interesting look at how Bitcoin and Bitmining has effected an Eastern Washington community. Long read but worth it for the insights about the history of Bitcoin and the power consumption required to mine Bitcoin.
It really has an old west gold mining camp air to the whole endeavor.
On a related note - Sierra Leonne recently became the first nation to run a blockchain powered election. I think that's actually a great application for Blockchain.
This is the future.
It really has an old west gold mining camp air to the whole endeavor.
On a related note - Sierra Leonne recently became the first nation to run a blockchain powered election. I think that's actually a great application for Blockchain.
This is the future.
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