I know its kind of mean of me (this is Skip), but I cant help but giggle at some of these weird phobias. I actually knew someone with Coulrophobia once.
I have Pentheraphobia, but I have a valid reason for it in my case.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Ahhh, summer in Texas
Nikki took a photo with her phone of the temperture this afternoon while we were driving in the car. 109°
I was hoping it would break 110 (Im into even numbers), but it didn't.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Not good ideas for baby names
I found a story on how some parents in New Zealand named their child, I kid you not, "Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii". She just won the right in court to change it. Seriously, how high do you have to be to name your kid that?
Her are some other names people have given their children in New Zealand (what is going on down there?)
Violence
Number 16 Bus Shelter
Midnight Chardonnay
Benson and Hedges
Yeah Detroit
Stallion
Twisty Poi
Keenan Got Lucy
Sex Fruit
Fat Boy
Cinderella Beauty Blossom
Fish and Chips (twins)
Her are some other names people have given their children in New Zealand (what is going on down there?)
Violence
Number 16 Bus Shelter
Midnight Chardonnay
Benson and Hedges
Yeah Detroit
Stallion
Twisty Poi
Keenan Got Lucy
Sex Fruit
Fat Boy
Cinderella Beauty Blossom
Fish and Chips (twins)
More Yeti stuff
I did an earlier post on the possible sighting of a yeti, and now scientist may have possible hairs that belong to one.
I am torn about people discovering yetis to exists. Part of me is very curious, and I'm always amused at the modern scientific worlds ongoing realization that they indeed do not know everything; and the other part of me is going to hate to see these yetis captured, dissected, kept in zoos and so on. Then you'll have the dumb ass idiots that will want to go hunt them.
It seems if they do exist, then they (like much of the animal world) are just trying to stay away from humans.
I am torn about people discovering yetis to exists. Part of me is very curious, and I'm always amused at the modern scientific worlds ongoing realization that they indeed do not know everything; and the other part of me is going to hate to see these yetis captured, dissected, kept in zoos and so on. Then you'll have the dumb ass idiots that will want to go hunt them.
It seems if they do exist, then they (like much of the animal world) are just trying to stay away from humans.
Rickles meowing on subway
Im listening to an interview on NPR with Don Rickles, a comedian who goes back to the 50s, a funny guy. It reminds me of an interesting story about Don Rickels from about 3 years ago.
I was on the subway in Manhattan, I think the Lexington Ave train, going to visit Nikki for lunch. I heard what sounded like a cat meowing under some of the peoples legs that were sitting down. The train was quite, no one was talking and every 15 seconds or so you heard a loud meow sound. A couple of ladies actually got up and started looking around the ground thinking the cat was under their legs. I realized this was a person making the meow sound. I looked a everyones faces and saw this short, older guy with large, black sunglasses on about 15 feet away. I keep and eye on him then saw him quickly put his hand over his mouth and throw his voice toward the (by now very upset) women. I have never seen anyone throw their voice before but this guy was extremely talented at it, it really sounded like the meow was coming from the floor. I started laughing a little, looking at him, he looked towards me when I laughed. He stopped at that point and got off at the next stop. About 10 minutes later I realized he (excluding his eyes of course) looked familiar, then it popped in my head, "That was Don Rickles" (I used to watch a lot of 60s and 70s sitcoms re-runs as a kid). When I got home I googled his image to a current photo and sure enough I had just seen Don Rickles playing a joke on people on the subway!
I was on the subway in Manhattan, I think the Lexington Ave train, going to visit Nikki for lunch. I heard what sounded like a cat meowing under some of the peoples legs that were sitting down. The train was quite, no one was talking and every 15 seconds or so you heard a loud meow sound. A couple of ladies actually got up and started looking around the ground thinking the cat was under their legs. I realized this was a person making the meow sound. I looked a everyones faces and saw this short, older guy with large, black sunglasses on about 15 feet away. I keep and eye on him then saw him quickly put his hand over his mouth and throw his voice toward the (by now very upset) women. I have never seen anyone throw their voice before but this guy was extremely talented at it, it really sounded like the meow was coming from the floor. I started laughing a little, looking at him, he looked towards me when I laughed. He stopped at that point and got off at the next stop. About 10 minutes later I realized he (excluding his eyes of course) looked familiar, then it popped in my head, "That was Don Rickles" (I used to watch a lot of 60s and 70s sitcoms re-runs as a kid). When I got home I googled his image to a current photo and sure enough I had just seen Don Rickles playing a joke on people on the subway!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Local "News"?
I read this story about how product placement is going to local news TV broadcast. Yet another reason not to watch local (and this one really deserves quotes) "news".
Monday, July 21, 2008
2 boys with cool names
Congratulations are in order for 4 of our friends and family on their new baby boys.
Eugene and Catherine congratulations on Eden
Greg and Jen congratulations on Atticus
Eugene and Catherine congratulations on Eden
Greg and Jen congratulations on Atticus
Saturday, July 19, 2008
2 different angles
This is about the same story but CNN says
Iran describes nuke talks as 'constructive'
and BBC says
Iran must decide between confrontation and co-operation
Funny how you can describe the same event and have the tone sound so different.
Iran describes nuke talks as 'constructive'
and BBC says
Iran must decide between confrontation and co-operation
Funny how you can describe the same event and have the tone sound so different.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
The Impressionists at The Kimbell
We went to the Kimbell in Ft Worth today to see The Impressionists. It was a great exhibition, it had Monet's Stacks of Wheat, Van Gogh's self portrait and Caillebotte's Paris Street; Rainy Day (which surprisingly is on a giant canvas-I didn't know). I could go on and on about all the artists, but if you're interested you can visit the site. We took some photos outside (cant take them inside). Overall we had a great time.
The only thing I dont like about shows like this is when your are trying to look at a piece of art and someone comes up, stands really close to you and breaths down your neck trying to get you to move over (a lot of Nietzsche's will to power going on at a crowded exhibition). Also, some people take these exhibitions extremely seriously, as if they are researching Monet's brush stokes for their doctoral thesis, so they have this "I just smelt a fart and it hurts" look plastered on their face. Its art, it doesn't smell like farts, so unclench and get that look off your face people.
Some people at these museums are extremely nice and friendly. One lady at the exhibition today commented to us "These artists would have loved to have some as beautiful as her (Zoe) to paint".
The only thing I dont like about shows like this is when your are trying to look at a piece of art and someone comes up, stands really close to you and breaths down your neck trying to get you to move over (a lot of Nietzsche's will to power going on at a crowded exhibition). Also, some people take these exhibitions extremely seriously, as if they are researching Monet's brush stokes for their doctoral thesis, so they have this "I just smelt a fart and it hurts" look plastered on their face. Its art, it doesn't smell like farts, so unclench and get that look off your face people.
Some people at these museums are extremely nice and friendly. One lady at the exhibition today commented to us "These artists would have loved to have some as beautiful as her (Zoe) to paint".
The Corporation (repost)
The following is from Nikki's personal bog but I wanted to repost on this blog as well. We both are having cognitive dissonance dizziness from this movie
---------------------
I really had no idea. I just finished watch a movie called The Corporation.
I knew that corporations were "people" in the eyes of the laws and had all the rights therein. I had no idea that lawyers were able to establish this from the 14th amendment, which was added to the constitution to protect freed slaves.
I have some idea about the new lawsuits involving intellectual property, but I had no idea that the US patent office now allows patents on LIFE - i.e. LIVING organisms - with the only exception being a "fully born human". That means that a corporation can own a gene, an animal, a plant or microorganism.
A Texas corporation called Ricetex received a patent for basmati rice, one of the largest mainstays of India's economy.
I knew that governments gave privately held corporations contracts for public services, but I never heard that companies were trying to privatize water. I like to think that I follow the news, but I didn't realize what happened when the World Bank instructed Bolivia give the water of one of it's larger cities to have a California company, making it illegal to collect rainwater and charging up to 25% of a families income for WATER!*
I do keep up to date on all the very bad things that are happening to the planet, and to us, due to consumerism, but the movie's presentation was a stark reminder of all the work that needs to be done to get off this runaway train.
This movie makes a very strong case that if companies are people then they would be diagnosed as psychopaths by the DSM.
This is really my beef with the health care industry: health care companies are just that companies. They only reason for their existence is to make money. But the result of their bottom lines is that people don't receive needed medial care and people die or their quality of life is diminished.
I'm in shock. I feel nauseous.
I took 7 months off from working after my daughter was born, and spent my days focused completely on the most important thing in my life, my family. I didn't realize how much those months changed the way I looked at things until I went to my first day of orientation at my new job at one of the largest online travel sites.
All the new hires were required to sit through 2 days of PP presentations detailing the history of the company, the company's interests and how I can help gain market share and make more money for the company.
A new hire asked the presenter a question about all the outsourcing that had taken place in recent years, apparently she was concerned about her job security. The presenter, with a straight face, said that we have to understand the company was loosing money and that we have to understand that they need to do what's in their best interest and that we should be sympathetic. Seriously. We should have sympathy. For the large profitable company. Right. Thanks for clearing that up.
Did I mention that marketing is my profession? Shoot me.
The job didn't work out for other reasons (evil boss from hell), and I'm a stay at home mom again. At some point in the near future I will need to go back to work. I don't want to go back into marketing, but I'm not sure what to do instead. I'd like to make money on my own, but every idea I come up with feeds into the same corporate system. Trust me, I don't want to be rich, I just don't want to worry about paying for basic things - place to live, utilities, food, education, etc - and to be able to go on vacation every year. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
Footnote
* The people of Bolivia were able to prevent it the Bechtel company from owning the water. You guys rock! I just wish that their water problems were over. They still don't have an effective system in place. Here's the Wiki about the protest.
---------------------
I really had no idea. I just finished watch a movie called The Corporation.
I knew that corporations were "people" in the eyes of the laws and had all the rights therein. I had no idea that lawyers were able to establish this from the 14th amendment, which was added to the constitution to protect freed slaves.
I have some idea about the new lawsuits involving intellectual property, but I had no idea that the US patent office now allows patents on LIFE - i.e. LIVING organisms - with the only exception being a "fully born human". That means that a corporation can own a gene, an animal, a plant or microorganism.
A Texas corporation called Ricetex received a patent for basmati rice, one of the largest mainstays of India's economy.
I knew that governments gave privately held corporations contracts for public services, but I never heard that companies were trying to privatize water. I like to think that I follow the news, but I didn't realize what happened when the World Bank instructed Bolivia give the water of one of it's larger cities to have a California company, making it illegal to collect rainwater and charging up to 25% of a families income for WATER!*
I do keep up to date on all the very bad things that are happening to the planet, and to us, due to consumerism, but the movie's presentation was a stark reminder of all the work that needs to be done to get off this runaway train.
This movie makes a very strong case that if companies are people then they would be diagnosed as psychopaths by the DSM.
This is really my beef with the health care industry: health care companies are just that companies. They only reason for their existence is to make money. But the result of their bottom lines is that people don't receive needed medial care and people die or their quality of life is diminished.
I'm in shock. I feel nauseous.
I took 7 months off from working after my daughter was born, and spent my days focused completely on the most important thing in my life, my family. I didn't realize how much those months changed the way I looked at things until I went to my first day of orientation at my new job at one of the largest online travel sites.
All the new hires were required to sit through 2 days of PP presentations detailing the history of the company, the company's interests and how I can help gain market share and make more money for the company.
A new hire asked the presenter a question about all the outsourcing that had taken place in recent years, apparently she was concerned about her job security. The presenter, with a straight face, said that we have to understand the company was loosing money and that we have to understand that they need to do what's in their best interest and that we should be sympathetic. Seriously. We should have sympathy. For the large profitable company. Right. Thanks for clearing that up.
Did I mention that marketing is my profession? Shoot me.
The job didn't work out for other reasons (evil boss from hell), and I'm a stay at home mom again. At some point in the near future I will need to go back to work. I don't want to go back into marketing, but I'm not sure what to do instead. I'd like to make money on my own, but every idea I come up with feeds into the same corporate system. Trust me, I don't want to be rich, I just don't want to worry about paying for basic things - place to live, utilities, food, education, etc - and to be able to go on vacation every year. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
Footnote
* The people of Bolivia were able to prevent it the Bechtel company from owning the water. You guys rock! I just wish that their water problems were over. They still don't have an effective system in place. Here's the Wiki about the protest.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Chrysler Building
My favorite Manhattan skyscraper, the Chrysler Building, now belongs to the government of Abu Dhabi. Its interesting to know.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Hi from Austin
We made a last minute decision to drive down to Austin this weekend. We are having fun even though the humidity is slowing us down a bit. Lots of veg places to eat. It seems every time we come to Austin we see a homeless guy, with a long beard, wearing false boobs and no pants with womens g-string on. Its not the same guy, just a collection of scantily clothed homeless cross dressers I guess. He was very nice though, said hi to Zoe and made bird noise, very good ones.
I couldn't get a good shot of the double-Ds and long ZZ top style beard, but I got a nice bootey shot.
I couldn't get a good shot of the double-Ds and long ZZ top style beard, but I got a nice bootey shot.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Zoe's Birthday Cake
For Zoes birthday today we had dinner at Veggie Garden. Zoe had spinach and tofu miso soup (one of her favorites) and sesame soy. Then we came home and she opened a present from us and had some birthday cake. Good stuff. 
Name a country that starts with U
I showed this to Nikki and afterwards she had a dazed look on her face, I asked what was wrong, she said "the video was scary". Just realize when watching this that their votes count the same as yours does.
Also, we have a little poll going to the right (under the Flickr banner) asking who you think will be the next president, so far Obama is 100% (Nikki and I already voted).
Also, we have a little poll going to the right (under the Flickr banner) asking who you think will be the next president, so far Obama is 100% (Nikki and I already voted).
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
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