tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58870192011-04-21T18:12:11.382-05:00TexasBestGrok". . . like trying to lift water with a knife."John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comBlogger2891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1081136582249650162004-04-04T22:40:00.000-05:002004-04-04T22:52:17.340-05:00New Digs
The fine residents of Munuviana have invited me to join their tribe.
This will be my last post at Blogspot. I have really enjoyed building a small but loyal readership here, so please update your links and check out my new home at http://texasbestgrok.mu.nu. But we should resume the regular posting schedule at the new location very shortly.
My posting may be light for the next John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080961453031775362004-04-02T20:51:00.000-06:002004-04-02T21:07:53.840-06:00Homeowners' Associations
Timothy Sandefur doesn't like them very much, even though he prefers them to zoning laws. In my previous law firm life, I represented several condominium associations, so I have some familiarity with the enforcement side of things.
As a matter of principle only, I prefer HOAs to zoning laws, but just barely. And for practical purposes, unless you can prove laches John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080882043871972792004-04-01T22:53:00.000-06:002004-04-01T23:06:34.996-06:00Six Month Bloggiversary
I see that today is Timothy Sandefur's one-year bloggiversary. Congratulations, Timothy, and keep up the good work.
Today also happens to be the six-month milepost for me. Let's have a look-see at my first post.
I haven't talked much about cycling, coaching, or theology. I do think, however, that this has turned into a cohesive narrative on life, the universe, andJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080881569164562902004-04-01T22:51:00.000-06:002004-04-01T22:56:35.466-06:00Praise Allah
Another Photoshop, funnier than anything he did with Dean.
(Favorite caption: "Hello Clarice").
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080880700489293882004-04-01T22:38:00.000-06:002004-04-02T14:23:41.340-06:00Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster Recipe
Jonah Goldberg is one of the few reasons I check into the Corner semi-regularly. The other day, he posted a cool-looking cocktail recipe in the process of pointing to this twisted movie.
The recipe called to mind the recipe for a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster (the effect of drinking of which is like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrappedJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080877497596173212004-04-01T21:38:00.000-06:002004-04-01T21:49:17.640-06:00Conservative Pablum?
Heh. Must not have read very deep into my archives. Oh well. At least OhMyGoff thinks my blog is "great any time of day or night."
I wonder if Michael has seen this? (hat tip Instapundit).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080876625444141272004-04-01T21:20:00.000-06:002004-04-01T21:34:41.280-06:00Ia! Ia! Sanrio Fhtagn!
Hello Cthulu, via Ambient Irony.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080794643111836072004-03-31T22:30:00.000-06:002004-03-31T22:48:16.356-06:00Arrogant Protestant Ignorance On Parade
I'm not a Roman Catholic (more a Deist Methodist), but I would think this were offensive if it weren't so laughable. (Hat tip: Fr. Jim Tucker who found it at Ship of Fools' Fruitcake Zone).
On a related note, Belle Waring at Crooked Timber links to a wicked riff by Michael Berube on the Left Behind series. (I have to be careful not to be too scathing John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080793062298691842004-03-31T22:11:00.000-06:002004-03-31T22:22:14.560-06:00Best of Hubble
I feel like I've linked to this before, but even if I have, it's worth repeating (note well: large download; requires Shockwave plugin).
(Hat tip: Jerry Pournelle)
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080792487024192032004-03-31T21:59:00.000-06:002004-03-31T22:11:45.090-06:00Paris or Marge?
When I saw the title to this post at Transterrestrial Musings, I thought for sure that Rand had also seen the March 29 entry at Gravity Lens (probably will be archived here soon), regarding the Maxim covers that simultaneously featured both Marge Simpson and Paris Hilton. Apparently, the Marge version is selling out faster than the Paris version. Maybe there is some hope for John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080627441383051872004-03-30T00:15:00.000-06:002004-03-30T00:20:56.763-06:00Musician Jokes
Got this Canonical List of Musician Jokes from the Larry Niven listserv (subscribe here).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080626341218296432004-03-29T23:36:00.000-06:002004-03-30T00:02:36.746-06:00Ancestral Accomplishments
Looks like Alan Brain is on this earth against the odds.
His grandfather survived four years of active duty as a sniper on the front lines in World War I and lived to tell the tale to a young Mr. Brain.
I don't have a similar tale of wartime courage about either of my grandfathers, but my maternal grandfather, Joseph M. Hill, MD, did manage to save the lives of John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080624879279438552004-03-29T23:30:00.000-06:002004-03-29T23:38:50.623-06:00Classical Readings
Father Jim Tucker, a libertarian Catholic priest in the diocese of Arlington, VA (where I lived during law school) points to this site, where you can hear audio clips of Greek and Latin classics with their original "classical" pronunciations (as I learned them in high school).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080624235666742292004-03-29T23:01:00.000-06:002004-03-29T23:27:30.920-06:00Heinlein Wrote Fantasy?
It's true, the master of hard-SF wrote a few fantasy stories.
New Troy has a review by Robert Wilfred Franson of The Man Who Traveled in Elephants, one of Heinlein's fantasies (collected here and here).
Franson points to this vignette shared by Spider Robinson about the story in Requiem: and Tributes to the Grand Master:
[Says Robinson, presenting a battered John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080622602533546982004-03-29T22:30:00.000-06:002004-03-30T00:53:57.030-06:00Old Photo Blogging
While Glenn has been busy photoblogging with modern digital cameras, TangoMan at Gene Expression is blogging about the century-old color photographs of Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudi-Gorskii, "Photographer to the Tsar."
I didn't even know that there was a color-photography process as early as the 1900's and 1910's. But there was, and TangoMan links to the page explaining John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080621015120941682004-03-29T22:14:00.000-06:002004-03-29T22:33:50.263-06:00Sunday Song Lyrics
If you're not a regular reader of the Volokh Conspiracy, you should be. Lots of smart commentary on matters of law, policy, and culture with a libertarian bent.
This year, Juan Non-Volokh has been posting a different song's lyrics each Sunday. His musical tastes seem to be as eclectic as mine. This week's selection is Prelude to a Kiss, by Duke Ellington. Go read the John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080272393268753392004-03-25T21:30:00.000-06:002004-03-25T21:43:22.640-06:00More Good News From Mars?
It appears that both the Mars Express orbiter and an earthbound team have independently detected Methane in Mars' atmosphere, on the order of 11 parts per billion. This is exciting news, as it points to the possibility of life, or of vulcanism (or both).
(Hat tip to Fred Kiesche at Martian Soil who turned me on to new blogroll member MainlyMartian).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080270657862728012004-03-25T21:09:00.000-06:002004-03-25T21:14:27.590-06:00More Air Force Blue
Ted has another "boring" installment of Air Force Blue up at RocketJones. More fun stuff about security police training.
Money quote: "Big fun. Really. Like playing as kids, except we had real M16's full of blanks."
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080270506357790242004-03-25T20:53:00.000-06:002004-03-25T21:11:56.123-06:00I Wonder if Pee Wee Likes to Pluck His Twanger?
I used to like Pee Wee's playhouse, especially after staying up all Friday night on a few occasions back in college. Now Paul Reubens (a/k/a Pee Wee) is back in the news, pleading guilty to a misdemeanor obscenity charge in exchange for dismissal of the more serious child pornography charge leveled against him because of some questionable John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080193039853645692004-03-24T23:36:00.000-06:002004-03-24T23:40:48.140-06:00Gynecomoustia
I just had to use that title after seeing this at Reason's Hit and Run blog.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080018494939730702004-03-22T22:55:00.000-06:002004-03-22T23:18:58.576-06:00Fifty-Word Fiction
Last week, Ted at RocketJones pointed to this site featuring 50-word fictional works.
Here's my entry (logging in at 49 words, including the title):
The Sixth Republic
Beautiful bodies on the beach -- the Riviera.
Then, the bomb.
Like Byzantium's Hagia Sophia, Notre Dame is now a mosque.
As with Spain (now Andalusia), we could have fought.
We didn't.
France John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080017158906156262004-03-22T22:14:00.000-06:002004-03-22T22:50:50.060-06:00Rapper Ice Cube Knighted
He wrote these lyrics to celebrate the momentous occasion:
Ima muthaf***in G straight out the west,
you be throwin up signs, I be throwin up my crest.
Ol' b**** in London knew I was nice,
I f***ed that b**** till she called me Sir Ice.
Comin' atcha head with my double-edged steel,
you f***ed up n****, now you gotsta kneel.
Ice Cube comin' straight John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-108001518284003472004-03-22T21:02:00.000-06:002004-03-22T22:16:28.500-06:00"Who are you who can summon fire without flint or tender?"
"There are some who call me. . .Timothy?"
Sorry there, er, Timothy, for calling you "Tim" in all of my previous posts.
Didn't mean to presume anything, Timothy. (Though to be fair, you did have that Python quote up on your blog when I first linked).
Just please don't presume to call me "Johnny."
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1080010661657196732004-03-22T19:54:00.000-06:002004-03-22T21:03:04.826-06:00It Ain't Over 'Til. . .
The London Royal Opera House recently fired Rubenesque American soprano Deborah Voigt from a role in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos that would have required her to wear a small black evening dress. This has led to some interesting but predictable hand-wringing over merit versus looks. After all, isn't opera all about the music?
Well, no, not exactly. This article cites John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079677562419289512004-03-19T00:21:00.000-06:002004-03-19T00:29:22.640-06:00Washed Up Musicians Received Special Grammy Award
Details here.
(As you can see, the real headline is much funnier, but this is a family blog).
Looks like I just found a "news" site to go along with the Onion.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079676140251694122004-03-18T23:53:00.000-06:002004-03-19T00:05:40.670-06:00Another Model Site
I built an Enterprise model much like this one when I was a kid.
I also had a phaser and communicator set, but not as nice as these. Wish I hadn't thrown them away.
Am I mistaken or does this Captain Kirk look a bit like President Bush?
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079669632811513272004-03-18T21:55:00.000-06:002004-03-19T00:19:11.076-06:00An Olde But Goode One
The Hokey Pokey (by W. Shakespeare(*)):
O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.
Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke,
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin! A wilde release from Heavens yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst goJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079668326851120442004-03-18T21:49:00.000-06:002004-03-18T21:57:13.093-06:00Ground Control To Professor Hall (Or, Spacecraft Oddity)
Your circuit's dead
Is there something wrong
Can you hear us Professor Hall?
Lots of interesting space-related news over the last month. Your commentary would be welcome. No pressure, of course. Just curious.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079667825172342962004-03-18T21:39:00.000-06:002004-03-18T21:47:24.920-06:00Build-a-Dinosaur
First you take 3 chickens. Then you cook them (and, presumably, eat them).
Save the bones and make an Apatosaurus skeleton.
When you're done, cook some more chickens and build a T-Rex.
(Hat tip: Signal+Noise via Jay Manifold).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079582025190875342004-03-17T21:48:00.000-06:002004-03-17T21:57:03.403-06:00Paper Models
Rocket Jones has collated in a single post multiple sources (including one referenced by yours truly) of aviation-and-space-themed paper models. Check it out.
Thanks for the link, Ted.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079581261998052962004-03-17T21:37:00.000-06:002004-03-17T21:44:20.373-06:00Three Square and a Bed
Go to jail for a crime you didn't commit.
Spend 16 years behind bars.
Get released.
Get a bill.
Via Reason's Hit and Run.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079580307884907002004-03-17T21:02:00.000-06:002004-03-17T21:37:36.593-06:00Halo for the PC Review
I have to explain one other reason for the recent sparse posting. Halo PC. I downloaded the free version the other day to try it out (I haven't bought the full-featured game yet, and probably won't, for the reasons outlined below).
The console version of this game was one major factor in my decision to get an Xbox instead of some other platform for the family. (There John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079578779424781302004-03-17T20:28:00.000-06:002004-03-17T21:57:53.576-06:00Lady Lex, Part 3: Blue Ghost Stories
I know I promised this yesterday. Oh well, so much for using an artificial deadline to motivate my writing. (If you missed the first two posts, here they are: part 1, part 2).
We reported to the Main Hangar Deck at 1700 hours for announcements.
The Scouts, as their mandatory service project, had earlier arranged several hundred folding chairs before John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079413335184061212004-03-15T22:28:00.000-06:002004-03-15T23:10:34.326-06:00Lady Lex, Part 2: The Blue Ghost
As mentioned last week, I took my two sons down to Corpus Christi to spend the night on the USS Lexington.
As you can read on her official website, the Lex is a WWII-vintage Essex-class aircraft carrier that was converted to carry jets in the 1950s, and then served with great distinction as a training carrier for almost thirty years from 1962 until she was John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1079410835845511142004-03-15T22:13:00.002-06:002004-03-15T22:30:36.640-06:00Breaking Radio Silence
I'm sorry for the light posting for the last several days. I took Wednesday through Friday off work to spend some time with my kids during their Spring break and to get some yard work done (lots of fun around the Lanius house).
How did I spend my time? Mowing, weeding, laying brick borders, mulching, trimming. Firing up the grill. Enjoying a homemade margarita while John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078897418298361722004-03-09T23:43:00.000-06:002004-03-09T23:47:28.263-06:00Removing the Giggle Factor
One nice thing about an article like this one is that it helps to incrementally decrease the "giggle factor" associated with discussing such outlandish notions as terraforming and colonizing Mars.
For a more serious examination of the giggle factor, see this military article on planetary defense.
I literally remember an event at my high school (in Physics John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078895787165168722004-03-09T23:16:00.000-06:002004-03-09T23:26:14.983-06:00Lady Lex, Part 1: The Journey Begins
As alluded to yesterday, I had a big weekend involving the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The Lexington hosts a "Live Aboard" program for youth groups (mostly Scouts and Y-guides), through which the kids and their parents get to spend one or two nights on this storied aircraft carrier.
I picked up my two boys (a 9-year-old Webelos Scout and John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078805453107880552004-03-08T22:10:00.000-06:002004-03-09T08:49:25.826-06:00Too. Tired. To. Blog.
I had a busy busy weekend and am short on sleep. No real blogging tonight, even though there is a lot to write about.
Why?
The Answer.
More details tomorrow.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078801637152346682004-03-08T21:07:00.000-06:002004-03-08T22:16:23.700-06:00Quodnam Elogium Latinum Alienum Es Tu?
Postatem obscuri lateris nescitis. ("You do not know the power of the Dark Side.")
There are two possibilities: you are a Star Wars geek, or you are unreasoningly scary.
Which Weird Latin Phrase Are You? brought to you by Quizilla
The best thing about this quiz is that it came from an old friend I haven't heard from in a few years.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078466687949934852004-03-05T00:04:00.000-06:002004-03-05T00:09:10.716-06:00Commercial Space Bill Passes House
Thursday March 4, the US House of Representatives approved HR 3752, The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act.
The bill adds definitions to the existing Commercial Space Launch Act for "crew," "space flight participants," and "suborbital rockets," among others and clears the way for suborbital rocket flights with passengers, at least on an experimental John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078462529049814172004-03-04T22:55:00.000-06:002004-03-04T23:33:08.153-06:00Legal Writing Rant
Every now and then, I run across some really clunky contract language. I keep a running list of the worst. Today I found a truly awful one:
"Services. Supplier warrants that all Services and/or work performed under this Agreement shall be performed in a diligent, work-person like and professional manner, in compliance with industry standards, and in accordance with all John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078457779947876732004-03-04T21:36:00.000-06:002004-03-04T21:39:20.733-06:00Terraforming Mars
Brian Doss at Catallarchy summarizes Robert Zubrin and Christopher McKay's ideas on terraforming Mars, linking to numerous resources regarding the technologies and timescales required.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078367834537102032004-03-03T20:37:00.000-06:002004-03-03T20:40:13.873-06:00Dutch Treat
This Dutch website has numerous printable plans for making paper space models (rockets, satellites, and even a Mars rover).
Hours of fun for a rainy day.
(Via Hobbyspace).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078365542782536862004-03-03T19:59:00.000-06:002004-03-03T20:32:09.250-06:00Anything But Boring
Ted at Rocket Jones has this article (number six in his "Air Force Blue" series of tales about USAF training and duty) categorized under "Boring Stories." It's anything but.
Go back through the earlier installments, too. (Money quote from entry number 1: "San Antonio in August. Hell with an accent.")
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078364757801639372004-03-03T19:45:00.000-06:002004-03-03T19:48:56.826-06:00Neat and Tidy
James Lileks has dropped several hints over the years that he is obsessively neat. This man color-codes his recovery disks, organizes his canned foods, buys special containers from Target for his refrigerator, and so on. Still, the picture of his study in today's Bleat reveals a surprisingly spartan workplace.
My desk looks like that maybe twice a year (for the 5 minutes it John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078285754677390592004-03-02T21:49:00.000-06:002004-03-02T21:52:46.763-06:00Mars "Drenched" With Water
There is a fantastic scene in one of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars books (either Red or Green, can't remember off the top of my head) in which the colonists tap an aquifer under the Martian surface, triggering a torrential flood. Is there that much water there now? We don't know. Yet.
But NASA announced today that Mars was once awash in water. Drenched, in fact (atJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078284044978616072004-03-02T21:20:00.000-06:002004-03-02T21:23:43.140-06:00Get Religiously Fuzzy
With all the heavy-duty religion going back and forth in the newspapers, on TV, and over the 'net these days, it's fun to see some bad puns and general irreverence on the comics page.
The psychotic Siamese Bucky has invented a new religion at Get Fuzzy. Yesterday's and today's entries made me laugh out loud. Enjoy.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078237658408502852004-03-02T08:27:00.000-06:002004-03-02T08:30:35.653-06:00Happy Birthday, Texas!
It's not my policy to blog from work, which is why you usually see late-night updates around here. But since today is an important date to commemorate, I wanted to get up an early-morning entry, especially for any out-of-state (or should that be "out-of-Republic?") readers.
On this date in 1836, several brave men assembled at Washington-on-the-Brazos and signed their John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078204376851412732004-03-01T23:12:00.000-06:002004-03-01T23:15:53.763-06:00Beautiful Shot of Saturn
Via Adot's Notblog.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078203213891328402004-03-01T22:53:00.000-06:002004-03-01T22:56:30.233-06:00What I Gave Up For Lent. . .
It led to civilization.
I gave up ice cream for the duration, too. More to get rid of empty calories than anything, maybe I'll gain some spiritual insight, too. It's not really a Methodist (or, more generally, Protestant) tradition to give things up for Lent, but I have been noticing many of my [Protestant] peers doing so.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078202855823753582004-03-01T22:47:00.000-06:002004-03-01T22:50:32.233-06:00Great Picture Show
From a Marine aviator in Afghanistan. (Via Instapundit).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1078202640752538212004-03-01T22:44:00.000-06:002004-03-01T22:48:19.590-06:00Sad News
Lawyer, historian, and former librarian of Congress Daniel Boorstin passed away on Sunday at the age of 89 from pneumonia. Obituaries here, here, and here.
I read (and quite enjoyed) his The Discoverers. A much better read than Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, which I am still slogging my way through. I have been meaning to read Boorstin's next two books in his John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077939973537539232004-02-27T21:46:00.000-06:002004-02-27T21:50:21.310-06:00My Star Trek Race
You're a Human! Inquisitive and mellow, you're anexplorer at heart. What Star Trek Race Are You?brought to you by Quizilla
(Hat tip: Llamabutchers).John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077939209508507842004-02-27T21:33:00.000-06:002004-02-27T21:38:20.106-06:00Random Music
Following Vodkapundit's implementation of a suggestion by John Scalzi (who cribbed the idea from Neil Gaiman), here are the first ten tunes that pop up when I shuffle iTunes:
1. Neil Diamond - America
2. TV Theme: Star Trek TOS Main Title
3. Boston - Foreplay/Long Time
4. Movie Theme: James Bond Theme
5. Weird Al Yankovich - Yoda
6. ACDC - Hell's Bells
7. Moby - BodyrockJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077857573377259032004-02-26T22:52:00.000-06:002004-02-27T14:57:38.343-06:00Fun T-Shirt
I wonder if Mark Oakley has one of these?
(Hat tip: Rocket Jones)
Update: Oops, I just fixed the link. Mark probably went, "huh?"
(The fixed link now takes you to a picture of a T-Shirt that says, "As a Matter of Fact, I AM a Rocket Scientist!")
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077854164826081422004-02-26T21:56:00.000-06:002004-02-26T21:58:55.590-06:00People Needing A Clue
Instapundit refers the clue-impaired to Michelle ("A Small Victory") Catalano's site, where she gives some good advice about refraining from judging bloggers based on just one post.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077853426590823092004-02-26T21:43:00.000-06:002004-02-26T21:46:37.496-06:00Sackcloth and Ashes
Robert must be doing some lenten penance for the cheesecake binge last week, as he has posted the pictorial equivalent of sackcloth and ashes. (It burnsss my eyesss, Prrrreciousss! Nasty wicked hobbitsesss!)
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077852273897476752004-02-26T21:24:00.000-06:002004-02-26T22:03:06.373-06:00Looking for Life on Mars, on Earth
Wired has an interesting writeup about astrobiologist Chris McKay's efforts to find evidence of life in the high desert of the Atacama, Chile.
I was surprised to learn just how sterile the Atacama is. Despite the discovery in recent decades of "extremophiles," it appears that there are limits to what hardy microbial life can tolerate, even on Earth. John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077771415090095072004-02-25T22:56:00.000-06:002004-02-25T22:59:44.513-06:00Floor 42
Added to my left links (a bilingual pun!): a site dedicated to the brilliant Douglas Adams.
(Hat tip: Die Metzger der Lamas)
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077769846145665882004-02-25T22:30:00.000-06:002004-02-25T22:33:35.903-06:00Gallery of Regrettable Mags
Ever wondered what the Maxim or FHM of the 1950s looked like?
Wait no longer.
Lileks' latest: Stagworld.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077766661182870352004-02-25T21:37:00.000-06:002004-02-25T21:40:30.936-06:00Moog Heaven
The Moon Base Clavius site logo (see post immediately below) reminded me of the cover of this classic record.
Groove to the following hits, as realized on a [then] ultra-modern Moog modular synthesizer: "Na Na Hey Hey," "Nights in White Satin," "Sugar Sugar," "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," and many more songs closely contemporaneous with my 1968 birth year.
I actually John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077765906666856122004-02-25T21:25:00.000-06:002004-02-25T21:27:56.530-06:00Debunking Moon Hoax Conspiracists
Moon Base Clavius.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077765618149566302004-02-25T21:20:00.000-06:002004-02-26T18:49:33.903-06:00The Great Robot Race
. . . Is only a couple of weeks away. In case you didn't know, DARPA is hosting a race, "The Grand Challenge," among "autonomous ground vehicles" between Los Angeles and Las Vegas next month.
They will pay a cash award of $1 million to the team that fields the first vehicle to complete the designated route within the specified time limit.
The purpose of the John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077765034993581352004-02-25T21:10:00.000-06:002004-02-25T21:13:24.996-06:00Just How Fast Is the Millennium Falcon?
As John at SFSignal would say, "not that I troll Star Wars sites or anything," but these people have too much time on their hands.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077764793880373662004-02-25T21:06:00.000-06:002004-02-25T21:57:44.593-06:00Military Thriller Idea
Going through some old notes I found this scribbled plot idea:
Britain joins single currency; integrates more tightly with EU. At some later date, tries to withdraw; triggers response from Continent similar to US north in Civil War. Anglosphere (USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) come to the rescue.
What happens to EU? Russia? China?
Think Red Storm John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077686104832089602004-02-24T23:15:00.000-06:002004-02-25T17:11:37.793-06:00Why Go To Space?
OK, OK. I've been promising this for a while. Other people kept writing bits and pieces of what I was thinking, so I decided to bite the bullet and try to put down some of my thoughts, too. These aren't fully formed, and, since this is my blog, I reserve the right to edit or elaborate in future.
Anyone who has known me for any length of time eventually learns that I am a John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077599339602131642004-02-23T23:08:00.000-06:002004-02-23T23:11:46.950-06:00Last SciFi Babes Post (I Promise)
OK. I asked the question about Classic Trek babes. Robbo likes Nurse Chapel. Decent choice.
But I always had a thing for Yeoman Rand, even before it was OK to admit that I liked girls.
As to the newer Trek, if forced to choose from the list presented, I would have to say Seven of Nine, followed closely by Torres. Sorry Steve, but I just can't see John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077597127176294362004-02-23T22:32:00.000-06:002004-02-23T22:35:52.530-06:00I, [am] Claudius
CLAVDIVS
You're not the fool everyone takes you for. You put on a show to stay under the radar. Underneath your bumbling exterior, you are a shrewd and calculating person. You don't enjoy being in the spotlight, but you can take charge if absolutely neccessary. But trust no one, not even your best friend, because you never know who might John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077595869221781342004-02-23T22:11:00.000-06:002004-02-23T22:15:10.390-06:00Venusian Scenery
When I was first getting seriously into written SF, Carl Sagan was on PBS with his groundbreaking series, Cosmos. As he explained in the episode entitled "Heaven and Hell," the surface of Venus is 900 degrees (F) and subject to crushing pressure. A far cry from the fertile swamps of Heinlein's Venus in Between Planets, an early favorite of mine.
Don Mitchell has reprocessedJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077406389111633502004-02-21T17:33:00.000-06:002004-02-21T17:35:53.186-06:00World Religions on the Net
Razib at Gene Expression ran the names of the five major world religions -- Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism -- through Google and evaluated the content, tone, and presentation of the first 10 hits for each.
Interesting, if not completely surprising results.
Read the whole thing.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077405597332125062004-02-21T17:19:00.000-06:002004-02-21T17:22:41.513-06:00Memory Alpha
Have a question about Star Trek?
Visit this extensive WikiWiki archive of Star Trek lore.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077343577985340022004-02-21T00:06:00.000-06:002004-02-21T00:09:01.310-06:00SciFi LEGOs
Variations on a theme tonight. More Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek, as realized in LEGOs. I couldn't find any Buck Rogers fan LEGO models, though.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077340410251279692004-02-20T23:13:00.000-06:002004-02-20T23:16:13.420-06:00Robots From A to Z
In looking for the Stepford Wives quote below, I found this interesting repository of information on things robotic.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077340057598615792004-02-20T23:07:00.000-06:002004-02-20T23:10:20.843-06:00Neat Poe Archive
If you've been meaning to catch up on your 19th-century-gothic reading, this is a good place to start.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077338251733281352004-02-20T22:37:00.000-06:002004-02-20T22:40:14.546-06:00"She cooks as good as she looks, Ted."
Wow. Somebody came to this site from a Google search for "stepford + wife + diy." (This old post created the hit).
And then, bless 'em, they stuck around for 13 minutes or so.
I wonder if his wife knows what project he's working on?
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077337818122412102004-02-20T22:30:00.000-06:002004-02-20T23:44:49.576-06:00Another Serving of SciFi Cheesecake
Rob thinks Princess Ardala was "skanky?" I don't see that. I would instead say earthy, sexy, and a bit dangerous in a fun way (she was, after all, the "evil" queen). Of course that was during the glorious age of disco, and a lot of women on TV looked like that. Probably warped my tastes permanently. And Wilma Deering just seemed frigid and aloof.
Oh wellJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077336610017566232004-02-20T22:10:00.000-06:002004-02-20T22:13:11.560-06:00Definitive Piece on Offended Canadians
Essential Mark Steyn (via the Corner).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077252444619547102004-02-19T22:47:00.000-06:002004-02-20T22:52:24.700-06:00That Was Quick
Father Tucker has changed his site template to a much more readable black-on-white layout.
I just complained about the white-on-black layout yesterday. I can't believe that my post had anything to do with this, but the result is much more pleasing to my eyes.
Update: He's changed it again. This time, it looks much cooler. The last change was more readable than the originalJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077250515805475382004-02-19T22:15:00.000-06:002004-02-19T22:17:57.513-06:00Buck Rogers Babes
Jonah Goldberg recently mentioned Buck Rogers in the 25th Century at The Corner. This show fell in that golden age range in my memory from around 5th to 7th grade -- as I was first beginning to appreciate both SciFi and girls.
Much commentary on the show centers on Erin Grey. Yeah, she was nice looking, but what about Princess Ardala (Pamela Hensley)? Wowza.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077247217874386392004-02-19T21:20:00.000-06:002004-02-19T21:25:07.873-06:00Ninth Amendment Debate
If you want to learn more about the Ninth Amendment, Tim Sandefur has been typing like mad on the subject for the past couple of days, carrying on a running discussion with the bloggers at Southern Appeal about the history, interpretation, and modern application of one of the least-understood amendments in the Bill of Rights.
He even scored a complimentary link from John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077246188151589322004-02-19T21:03:00.000-06:002004-02-19T21:05:49.966-06:00Truce!
To Rob the Llama Butcher, sorry about the "blowback."
You didn't touch the nerve too badly, and what you say is right. I typically have no problems with very specialized outside counsel (say, our patent lawyers or employment counsel). The key to being a successful in-house lawyer is knowing when to stop being a jack-of-all-trades, and to defer to the expertise of competent outside John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077170919401642202004-02-19T00:08:00.000-06:002004-02-19T00:19:57.903-06:00In-house Lawyer Grumbling
Unsolicited advice from Rob the Llama Butcher:
"If you want a memo on a particular point of law to present to some government agency, don't write one yourself and send it to your outside counsel for fixing up. Instead, just let them write it from the ground up.
"Buh-lieve me, you'll save yourself a lot of time and money."Unsolicited response from in-house John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077170276327654542004-02-18T23:57:00.000-06:002004-02-19T00:00:36.216-06:00The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
I've been noticing the proliferation of guest-bloggers recently at my daily reads.
Robert the Llama Butcher has noticed the trend, too. (Scroll down to Tuesday, February 17, at 9:14AM if the permalink doesn't work).
And his allusion to a certain 1990s movie has me thinking. . .
I wonder if the Missus would let Ms. De Mornay move in for a while to help meJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077169407206525192004-02-18T23:43:00.000-06:002004-02-18T23:46:07.310-06:00Rocket Man
Sorry Mr. Oakley, Burt Rutan borrows your appellation in this recent Christian Science Monitor article.
Money quote: [Regarding certification of Burt's aircraft, only one of which -- the Starship -- ever obtained it]: "It would be a waste" to seek certification, says [Rutan's brother] Dick. "He's an innovative, creative designer. Why should he waste all of his time trying to John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077168482338330932004-02-18T23:28:00.000-06:002004-02-18T23:30:42.593-06:00A.I. Constructs and Cyborgs First
Virginia Postrel introduces the concept of dynamism versus stasism in The Future And Its Enemies by referring to the common ground found between "leftist" Jeremy Rifkin and "right-winger" Pat Buchanan in their disdain for and fear of the future.
I get used to seeing dynamist opinions expressed by libertarians almost exclusively. These days, most of the leftJohn Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077167011903380302004-02-18T23:03:00.000-06:002004-02-18T23:06:12.466-06:00Kirk-a-riffic Fun
Be like the greatest Starfleet Captain of all time.
(Via Dave Barry's guest-blogger Judi).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1077165183692319932004-02-18T22:33:00.000-06:002004-02-18T22:46:52.123-06:00Music With Religious Themes
Interesting compilation of music containing biblical or religious references, from Billy Joel to Iron Maiden, the Indigo Girls to Simon and Garfunkel (and many many more). (Hat tip: Instapundit).
While you're there, be sure to check out the rest of Father Tucker's site. He has some interesting posts on the music and liturgy of post-Islamic Christians in Spain, John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076988592850294072004-02-16T21:29:00.000-06:002004-02-16T21:32:30.200-06:00Evolution
Somehow, even with my light posting over the last 2 weeks, I have evolved into a Flippery Fish (although I fear I could regress to Slimy Mollusc at any point) in the TLLB Ecosystem.
I'll try to consolidate this progress with some fresh posts this week. Many thanks to my 4 or 5 regular readers (and those of you anonymous individuals searching Google for "alessandra + ambrosio + John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076987249242415562004-02-16T21:07:00.000-06:002004-02-16T21:34:26.450-06:00More Poetic Spam
I got this from a spammer selling "generic" Cialis.
Looks like something Jim Morrison would have written, had he survived the sixties and gone into advertising:
Now and then, mastadon over tea party
Give secret financial aid to ribbon behind.
Sometimes around hand laughs out loud,
But living with graduated cylinder
Always know tripod behind!
Gonad for jersey cow John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076642494775880122004-02-12T21:21:00.000-06:002004-02-12T21:24:48.966-06:00Evidence of Dreamers at NASA
Thanks to Jay Manifold (who linked to this page), I found this page on Space Settlements at NASA.
Reminds me of the big dreams I had of someday living or vacationing in space. Not the cramped government housing represented by Mir and the ISS. Instead, vast space habitats, like the station in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Maybe with life-extension technology I'll John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076640134305632982004-02-12T20:42:00.000-06:002004-02-12T20:44:45.936-06:00"A lot of people don't know what freedom means. I do."
Jan Cydzik survived the Nazis. Then, he suffered the Soviets.
He got a $1500 reparations check from the German government and bought a grandfather clock to commemorate the three years of slave labor he performed for the Germans. The Russians haven't paid him anything. Not that he's complaining.
Read the whole thing (minimal John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076123266573580672004-02-06T21:07:00.000-06:002004-02-06T21:10:10.390-06:00Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Heh. Now I'm part of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. As a libertarian, I don't see myself as "right wing" in much of anything, but I appreciate the recognition. On the really big issues (especially regarding limits of federal power), libertarians and conservatives tend to share quite a bit of common ground. I've linked to them on the left.
I guess the link John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076043613696717222004-02-05T23:00:00.000-06:002004-02-12T09:07:24.763-06:00Frail Roots of Celebrity
A Trio Channel rerun tonight of a 1983 episode of Late Night With David Letterman makes Robert the Llama Butcher reminisce. (Scroll down if the link doesn't work -- I had that problem, too, until I emailed Blogger technical support and they fixed my permalinks right up).
I liked REM's Murmur, too, (high school for me, not college) and remember playing Radio Free John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076039737845473692004-02-05T21:55:00.000-06:002004-02-05T22:00:18.403-06:00Supreme Court Canon
I'm just a commercial lawyer. I almost never have to think of Constitutional Law, unlike the esteemed Tim Sandefur, who makes his living as a real life Constitutional litigator for the Pacific Legal Foundation.
So it's hard for me to even think of ten Supreme Court opinions, much less the ten that every American ought to read.
But here are the "top five" I would John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076038221709650452004-02-05T21:30:00.000-06:002004-02-05T21:32:43.856-06:00Immersive Virtual Environments
I wonder if Professor Hall knows about this project at Virginia Tech?
The picture in the linked article reminds me a little of the clear interactive computer screens at precrime headquarters in Minority Report.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1076036485231227702004-02-05T21:01:00.000-06:002004-02-05T21:04:33.170-06:00Classic Lileks
He's got a fantastic screed up today, covering everything from Captain Weenie to baby boomer "culture."
My favorite part (emphasis added):
God no. Please no. I think I speak for millions when I say that I am deathly sick of the counterculture sixties. The music, the war, the protests, all the hagiography - it's not a reflection of the era's importance but the John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1075952120139711602004-02-04T21:35:00.000-06:002004-02-04T21:37:40.860-06:00Ten "Classic" Technologies
Geekpress links to an article on ten technologies that won't die.
I still use vacuum tubes (I have a couple of Hammond organs and a Leslie amplifier) and think analog watches and typewriters are valuable to have, just because it's nice to have a few well-crafted items that don't require electrical power.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1075951830696644902004-02-04T21:30:00.000-06:002004-02-04T21:32:51.466-06:00While I'm At It. . .
Here is the visited countries map:
create your own visited country map
or check out these Google Hacks.
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1075951586244899122004-02-04T21:26:00.000-06:002004-02-04T21:28:47.076-06:00Visited States Map
Everyone else seems to be doing these, so here's mine:
create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.
(Tim Sandefur's map was the last straw. There are some great places to see in all of the states he has missed).
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887019.post-1075951091823471522004-02-04T21:18:00.000-06:002004-02-04T21:20:32.746-06:00Is This Really Surprising?
Patrick Stewart (a/k/a weenie Captain Jean Luc Picard) opposes human exploration of outer space.
Reason: "It would take up so many resources, which I personally feel should be directed at our own planet."
John Laniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18395307116936205101noreply@blogger.com