paulandferlie say mabuhay!

Oh, How the Mighty Have Fallen

2006-09-20T11:51:00.000-05:00

Those of you who know me, know me to be a hot pepper aficionado and fan of all things 'hot and spicy'. I have travelled three continents, challenging chefs to 'burn me out'. Well, it's finally happened. Yesterday, Ferlie and I had lunch with Mike and Cassondra at Beauregard's, a Huntsville, AL joint that serves up wings, ribs, sammiches, and such. Their claim is "Nobody does it hotter". Well, they are correct.

I ordered a combination plate with their "Home-made Habenero sauce". I have never eaten anything so hot that also tasted good. Unfortunately, the burn continued to get worse, and worse, until such point as I had to give up and admit defeat. I made it through the rib portion, one wing, and roughly 1/3 of the chicken sandwhich, when the reddish sauce of Satan beat me into submission. The saddest thing of all, is that it actually tasted REALLY good, and it was the PAIN that made me stop eating.

We've been to Beauregard's several times, and I always enjoy it. For wings and such, they get my highest recommendation. I will try the insane hot goodness again, but it will be awhile....at least until the blisters on my tongue are healed.

2006-09-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

Crikey! Steve Irwin was killed while filming one of his "Hey Y'all, Watch this" shows. The story is, he was swimming with a sting ray off the Great Barrier Reef, and was stung in the chest, piercing his heart. I didn't watch his programs regularity, but the bloke was certainly entertaining. More info here.

We're Baaa-aaack!

2006-08-05T20:28:00.000-05:00

Yes, dear readers, it has been too long since I've been a'posting. Life has been good, but it's been very busy as well. I intend to do much better in the near future. I've also been doing a poor job of keeping up Rani's Blog, though I've been doing a bit better in keeping up the Boxing Fans Blog.

That's One Drained Virgin!

2006-04-02T18:33:00.000-05:00

While we were in the Philippines, I discovered "Virgin" soft drinks, and let me tell you, after a hard day of laying under a palm tree getting thirsty, there is nothing like cracking open a Virgin to satisfy you.

You Play With Matches....

2006-03-15T13:33:00.000-06:00

A Vanderbilt/Peabody alumnus and silly, ineffective peace activist is found dead. Story here. After reading this, my first thought was wondering why in the Hell the U.S.M.C. still has a band, and, does dropping a tuba on your foot (during a concert, of course) count as an injury in the line of duty?

Happy Birthday!

2006-02-27T03:21:00.000-06:00

Mom, Dad, Uncle Dan, and my sister Carol came up to visit yesterday to celebrate Mom's birthday (29 again!), and we all had a good time. Veronica enjoyed all of the attention that she received, and a good time was had by all. We're pretty sure that Mom will enjoy her gift (a DVD of an Elton John concert) as much as Dad will hate it.

As we're still recovering from our Philippines trip, Ferlie and I opted for a dinner of pizza, which came in the form of Pizza Hut's "cheesy bites crust" pie. Despite looking like a deformed foot with severely swollen and rotten toes, the taste was okay. I'm not a huge fan of Pizza Hut, or any of the big chains, as their pizzas (pizzae?) don't thrill my taste buds the way I believe pizza should. Our favorite in Nashville is Caesar's Ristorante Italiano, which is a neat little family-owned Eye-Talian joint stuck in a nearby strip-mall, and their pizza is "wunnerful, wunnerful".

While we were in the Philippines, Ferlie and I twice had pizza from Shakey's, a chain that has largely faded here in the States. Shakey's Pinoy pizzas (unlike the ones that I used to enjoy in West Texas) are covered with thick, gooey yellow cheese that tastes just a little like glue (though not in a bad way).

Ender's Game....The Movie

2006-02-21T06:43:00.000-06:00

I'm scared. "They" (whoever that is) is allowing Wolfgang Petersen, the schizophrenic director who recently botched "Troy" (though it did make a lot of money), direct a film adaptation of one of my favorite novels. That novel is the Hugo and Nebula award-winning Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card (probably the most famous living Mormon, next to Dale Murphy---who should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, btw).

While I don't share all of Card's views, I've enjoyed many of his books, articles, editorials and short-stories. Like him, I spent a part of my childhood as a member of the LDS Church, and I've also enjoyed reading some of his religious writings, though without sharing his beliefs.

It will be years before this project comes to the screen, but I can't think of any other project "in the works" that I'll be anticipating more. Many are the times that I've imagined how this stoory would look on the big screen, and while I'm sure that it'll end up horribly botched, I can't supress my excitement. The "Battle Room" scenes will benefit from the special effects advances since the story was written in 1985, and the Harry Potter phenomenon has shown that a movie populated with pre-pubescent characters can be a huge success, even among fans who never read the book(s).

wikipedia entry here.
"official" site here.

My Old Team Won the Championship

2006-02-20T05:44:00.000-06:00

Well, not exactly. The "real" PBA team, whose namesake I played for in a sponsored league in Saudi Arabia, won the San Miguel Coffee PBA Fiesta Championship last night. The Red Bull (yes, the energy drink) Barakos defeated the Pure Foods "Chunkee Giants" to win the best of seven series. I enjoyed watching these games with my father-in-law, though it was tough to choose a favorite. I feel some loyalty to the Red Bull team, having worn their uniform, but their sponsor makes an energy drink that tastes like bad cough syrup, while Pure Foods makes the best hotdogs in the world. Besides, each team played hard, and has several likeable players.

The final game's goat, Pure Food's sharpshooter James Yap, shares the birthdate of my daughter, which in some minds is significant. I hope that his missing an easy layup---which some say gave the game to Red Bull--- in the last minute isn't part of some sort of bad birthday karma that will also haunt Veronica. Yap, in addition to being one of my favorite players for his scrappy guard play, is best-known as the boyfriend/bedmate/what-have-you of Kris Aquino. Ms Aquino is the daughter of the heroic Senator (Ninoy) and former housewife-turned-puppet-president (Cory). She is the Philippine Islands' answer to Oprah Winfrey, so I suppose Mr Yap is something of a Stedman.

Enrico Villanueva, the captain of Red Bull's team, is the sort of fundamentally sound, hard-working rebounder and defender that I admire. He's sorta like Dennis Rodman if you add good manners, offensive skills, and then remove the insanity.

Pure Food's American star, Marquin Chandler (who played at San Jose State early, was looked at by the Kings,but didn't get drafted or picked up), was voted the league's most-valuable-import player (he dominates the game, as he is much better than any of the locals), and he looked to have to tools to at least "ride a bench" in the NBA, dropping three-point shots and executing all over the court. Of course, it's hard to make an accurate assessment, watching him play against this level of competition (no disrespect intended towards the PBA, as they put a fine product on the court).

As a note, PBA teams will often have different mascot names from season to season, depending on what sort of product the sponsor is wanting to publicize. In the past five years, the Red Bull team has been called the "Energy Kings" and the "Thunder", while Pure Foods' mascot was recently the "TJ Hotdogs". Of course, with competition from teams like the "Realtors", and the "Beermen", you can see why these guys don't mind changing names so often. Those of you who are nostalgic PBA fans probably long for the return of the "Redmanizers" and the "Coffee Makers".

Achy-Breaky Puto: Photographic Evidence

2006-02-20T03:17:00.000-06:00

Achy-Breaky Puto: Photographic Evidence
Originally uploaded by pclem70.

I told you that I'd get pictures. I'm still agog at the site of
line-dancing Pinoys. For those who missed the previous post (and are too
lazy to scroll down the page), I've discovered, here in the lovely
Philippines, an exercise class devoted to aerobic activity set to the
harmonies of Billy Ray Cyrus.....I only wish that I were making this up.

Pirates of the Carriedo: The Curse of the Black Market

2006-02-14T23:39:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, my darling wife and beloved sisters-in-law journeyed to Quiapo, to visit the "Pirates of the Carriedo, the primary purveyors of pirated movies, music, and much more.

Our journey started with a walk to the center of St Francis Subdivision, where we caught an "FX" for a 20-minute ride to Monumento (cost P35 a head). Once arrived in Monumento, we walked down to the LRT for the train ride to the Carriedo station (P15), where we followed a convoluted trail into the primarily Muslim section of the Quiapo commercial district (I don't know exactly how Muslim these folks are, as the women showed skin, the men sold porn videos, and most of the foodsellers also sold pork products).

On Famski's recommendation, we found "Rams", who sells both high-quality pirated movies (in VCD and DVD formats) as well as imported "legal" editions of American movies, most of which have been subtitled in Chinese, Japanese, or some other -ese. Rams was very friendly, and unlike most of the other vendors, he played each DVD prior to the deal, to show that they were not (overtly) defective.

My official statement is we only purchased legal editions of the movies that we wanted. Honest.

En route back to the LRT, we bought Rani her very first rosary (I must admit to being creeped out by hearing my family haggle vigorously over the price, even if it isn't my religion), mechanical dog and bird toys, and this trip's first Jollibee burger, a Yum! with cheese. Jollibee has several menu options, and even the different sorts of burger have different tastes. For my American readers, the Yum! is most like a vastly oversized Krystal burger, and the flavor of the meat portion is identical.

We're having Rani's "official" birthday party at a Jollibee franchise, after her baptism on Sunday. We're still in the midst of the "actual" birthday celebration, which is complete with cheese-flavored ice cream (I swear, I am not making this up) with bits of real cheese. The proper name of the flavor is "Queso Real (pronounced Ree-ahl)", and it was delivered to the house by a sorbetero, or "ice cream man". The cost is a bit less than US$15 for 3 gallons of some of the best homemade ice cream this side of my Mama's (after tasting this, Ben and Jerry, even though they've been bought out by "the man", will eat their petula-stinking birkenstocks in envy). Tonight's dinner will be pancit (for long life) and crispy pata (deep-fried pig feet) .

As I keep saying, photos will follow.

Achy-Breaky Puto

2006-02-14T22:57:00.000-06:00

I had no idea that Billy Ray Cyrus had brought the fair Philippines under his sway. Out on our morning constitutional, minding our own business, we had our senses assaulted in a most offensive way. In the midst of an otherwise respectable suburban neighborhood, we encountered a group of 30-plus Filipinos of all ages engaged in country line dance. I kid you not.

What we witnessed was a morning exercise class. Apparently this class uses country line dance, in particular the "Achy Breaky", as aerobic exercise. Unfortunately, we only caught the end of the class, which featured a 20 minute-long "dance mix" of "Achy Breaky Heart", as it's finale. I have no idea what proceeded the "Achy Breaky", though I intend to investigate.

I don't hate Mr. Cyrus, as it seems many do. I even survived an episode or two of "Doc". Personally, I prefer Weird Al's "Achy Breaky Song".

Filipino Boxing Stuff

2006-02-13T04:06:00.000-06:00

I spent the day before yesterday watching recordings of old boxing matches with my beloved father-in-law. As you might imagine, the vast majority of the fights featured at least one Filipino pugilist.

I won't bore my non-boxing-fan readers with the rest, but if you are so inclined, you can check out all the details at www.boxingfans.blogspot.com, my boxing co-op blog.

Enchanted Kingdom

2006-02-13T01:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we loaded 15 folks into a mini-van and headed to The Enchanted Kingdom. "EK" is the ROP's equivalent of Disney World, though it is more like Six Flags or the late, great Opryland (memorial site here) in terms of size, shows, and tech-level.

We started off crammed into Uncle Elmo's Mitsubishi L300 for the 90-minute drive from Meycauayan to EK. Rani laughed and played without crying, and Matt, Mykah, Kay, and Eia kept us entertained. The drive flew by, as the 90 minutes felt like.....well...it did feel like 90 minutes. Upon arrival, I unfolded my contorted skeleton, we checked in, had the kids measured (they measure the kid's height and then provide a customized-by pencil list of the rides each child can ride) and headed for the grand carousel. Then we split off into groups handing the kids off from one to another as we rode, ate, and took in the sights. Ten hours later, whipped and drained, we proceeded to slink back home. A great time was had by all, especially Eia and Kay, who finished the "who'll get the wettest on the raft ride" competition tied for first.

There were things that drove me crazy, but I'd expected no different. All in all, I was very impressed with the variety and quality of rides, the cleanliness of all of the facilities, and the friendly, helpful staff (It's nice to be in a place where service sector jobs are performed with pride, and quality customer service is delivered).

I never thought that I'd find the world's best hotdogs in the Philippines, but I did. The EK concession stands served only fried "Pure Foods" brand franks (the artificial coloring makes the dripping grease turn red), and they are served on fat, yeasty buns/rolls. I had several of the "bacon dogs", which are fried hotdogs, split down the middle and stuffed with cheese and bacon. Ummmmmmm.

The most exciting ride was certainly the "Space Shuttle", which is quite a fun rollercoaster. You start off being pulled backwards up a near-vertical incline, where you stay suspended for nearly a minute (I was hanging off of my seat against the shoulder restraints---) before being shot forward, through 2 loops, one with a full twist. You then find yourself being slowly pulled up another near-vertical incline, dangled, and shot through again---backwards. Grabe! Sobra! Takot Ako! Ferlie says that this ride made her realize that she is "old", and she has sworn off any other "thrill rides". We'll see about that.

Like any amusement park (or as Dr Shwe used to say, "amazement park") the primary purpose of EK is separate the visitors from as much of their money as possible. EK is expensive, but fortunately for me, it's downright cheap by "Fat, Hairy, Whiteboy standards".

The next time any of you, dear readers, find your self on Luzon, you might want to consider investing a day (and P500+) in a trip to EK.

Pictures will follow. Wait lang.

What A Day!

2006-02-11T00:55:00.000-06:00

Today is a day that Ferlie and I will always remember.

Veronica is now REALLY talking! Prior to today, she would say "Dad-dah" and wave to me, say "Hi" when she saw someone new, and with some heavy duty prompting she might blurt out a "Mamama". That was about it.

This morning, as a bunch of assorted cousins were brawling about on the floor, Rani looked at me, held up her arms and said "Up Dad-dah". I was amazed. I picked her up, kissed her, and gave her a few quick bounces. I put her back down, called for witnesses, and she repeated her request/command/monologue. Now, she'll hardly stop with it.

A bit later, after she'd mastered the art of turning the lights off and on by wallswitch, she pointed at the fixture and clearly said "light". We forced her to repeat this for a few thousand cousins, aunts, and uncles before our pride was slaked.

To top it all off, Veronica chose today to be her first day to stand up without a handhold. She went from her back, to her butt, to her knees, and then just stood. She maintained her balance with a series of twists and two waving arms. For all of five seconds, my little girl stood tall.

It's still a few days to her first birthday, but my little girl's not a baby any more.

It meant so much to her Mama and I to have been with her for each of these moments.

What a day!

Crazy, Man, Crazy....

2006-02-10T01:27:00.001-06:00

OK....Mebbe I'm suffering from some sort of sci-fi movie withdrawal syndrome. I followed a link on Mike's blog to read a story about rumors surrounding Google's plans to destroy/take over the world, or somesuch.

Then I noticed the url of the story:

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9075-2023600,00.html?findsarahconnor

....?find sarah connor.....

I'm suddenly having flashbacks to the Terminator flicks.......hmmmmmmm.....do any of you get what I'm talking about here? If so, sound off.

have I stumbled into one of those alternate reality games?

I Walk the Line (mostly)

2006-02-10T00:28:00.000-06:00

This entry sprang from an e-mail exchange with Mike.

I've been saying for years that the Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas) will continue to have massive problems until they learn to manage a "queue" ( that's waiting in line to us 'Canos). The multiple things for which we expect to "stand in line" become near-riots in Manila, and a special event will often lead to a trampling, as was the case with the recent tragedy at a promotion for the ABS-CBN tv show, Wowoweee.

You can always recognize a Filipino newly arrived to the U.S. by the the way they'll rush and shove themselves onto a bus---like a football running back "hitting the hole" (fortunately, this passes rather quickly). In the past, there was little or no concept of an orderly queue in the Philippines (when necessary, queues are often enforced by armed guards), perhaps because so many things in Manila life require near-endless waits. Massive, non-computerized bureacracy turns something like getting a driver's license into an all-day chore (and even then you might not actually get in to take care of business). Anything to get ahead in the throng, which, if done properly can save hours, has been considered fair game, as everyone's doing it.

The Tagalog word for a "queue" is "pila", and Ferlie and her friends often refer to their homeland as the "pila-ppines", as you spend soooo much time waiting in a mob-like series of semi-organized lines that ultimately converge at the desk of some species of functionary.

Lest you think that this is not a cultural phenomenon, try watching the line-ups for plane boarding at an airport. Any flight with a largely Filipino passenger list would appear to have had it's boarding choreographed by schizophrenic football coaches. I think that the Northwest employees trying to herd our flight's passengers on-board will require extensive therapy to recover from dealing with a crowd of otherwise well-mannered, very friendly people who completely refused to cooperate with very simple boarding instructions.

When we flew in this time, we didn't have the usual escort of Ferlie's Uncle Ben (he's an airport employee who's always managed to have us processed through the Diplomatic Lines, letting us avoid what would typically be a 1-2 hour period not unlike trying to get to the front row of a Metallica Concert). On our own, we had to mingle through the crowd with all the other "un-connected folks". The crowd was huge, and while we did do a bit of elbowing and creative merging, the process was much less chaotic than it had been five years ago when I did this thing on my own.

Ferlie and I, when talking about the changes that seem to be slowly taking place, marvelled at the burgeoning civility in what I've dubbed "wait management". What this bodes for the future of the Philippines, I cannot say, but it's nice to be able to recognize a positive development.

I've pointed out to some of you that on our recent trip to the Philippines, we saw a great many new buildings, bridges, and roads. In Meycauayan, where Ferlie's parents live, we noticed both new and upgraded parks, expanded churches, and a vastly improvement in the quality and cleanliness of commercial areas. With the recently expanded North Luzon Expressway, traffic was unrecognizeable (largely because it was moving). We see reasons to be optimistic.

All that said, the Philippines is facing a potential crisis, as the family-centered culture is starting to give way to a hedonistic consumerism, and a decadent entertainment industry exists in correlation with (I won't speculate here on causation) an expansion of drug-use, teen pregnancy, and the "breakdown of the family". I hope that the people of the Philippines are able to retain all of the qualities that make the Philippines the friendliest place I've visited, as well as fix their numerous social and economic ills.

The editorial that started all of this blathering can be found here.
Stories about the Wowowee tragedy can be found here, here, and here.

Hmmmmm....Now We Just Have to Find the Green Eggs

2006-02-09T19:14:00.000-06:00

Due to my good friend Mike, I stumbled upon the blog of my favorite living sci-fi author (I'm currently reading his Knight Moves, with which I'm very impressed).

On said author's blog, I found this link to a story about a product of genetic manipulation to further stem-cell research in Taiwan. I will try to find out more about Taiwan's Great Green Glow-Pigs (has cool picture of pigs under blue light, and another pic here under "standard" lighting).

If You Outlaw Swords, Only Outlaws Will Have Swords

2006-01-17T06:23:00.000-06:00

Heheheh....those silly limies....story here.

Doug Flutie Drop-Kicks Extra-Point

2006-01-07T20:14:00.000-06:00

How did I miss this? In last weeks meaningless Patriots loss to the Dolphins, Doug Flutie was the first NFL player to drop-kick for points in 64 years.

Listen to Chris Berman discuss the story with some commie NPR host here.

Video here.

VDH Gets It Right

2006-01-03T03:47:00.000-06:00

Victor Davis Hanson on Mexico and our shared border, here.

Great Lunch at Greenbriar

2005-12-31T14:30:00.000-06:00

To kick off our Christmas celebration schedule, we went down to visit Mike and Cassondra. First we went to eat at the Greenbriar Restaurant, on Greenbriar Road, in Greenbriar, Alabama. Then, we went to the Booklegger, a used book purveyor in Huntsville. Then......and, Then......

They Gave Me AIDS!!!!

2005-12-31T14:28:00.000-06:00

Here you see a lovely stuffed HTLV virus. Much better than the nasty, old biological variant. Mike and Cassondra gifted me with this from the Museum of Modern Art. I like it!

Baby Hatch Here!

2005-12-29T06:24:00.000-06:00

Jackson Aidan Hatcher was born around 6-ish pm last night. He arrived weighing 8 lbs and 1 oz, and 20.5 inches tall. He is a good-looking kid with curly brown hair, big blue eyes, and a strong set of lungs. Baby and Mom are happily resting at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville. Pictures will follow. Check the Hatchblog for more info.

Chuck F. Norris "Facts"

2005-12-18T16:18:00.000-06:00

I generally resist this sort of stuff, but it is funny. My favorite of the listed Chuck Norris "facts":

A man once asked Chuck Norris if his real name is "Charles". Chuck Norris did not respond, he simply stared at him until he exploded.

Chuck Norris lost his virginity before his dad did.

There is no chin behind Chuck Norris's beard. There is only another fist.

There is no theory of Evolution, just a list of creatures Chuck Norris allows to live.

Chuck Norris has two speeds: walk and kill.

Chuck Norris can divide by zero.

When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn't lifting himself up, he's pushing the Earth down.
Chuck Norris can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass. At night.
Helen Keller's favorite color is Chuck Norris.
McGyver can build an airplane out of gum and paper clips but Chuck Norris can kill him and take it.
When Chuck Norris goes to donate blood, he declines the syringe, and instead requests a handgun and a bucket.

You No Like, You No Pay!

2005-12-17T06:39:00.000-06:00

Those are the words of chef Tony Yeh, pictured below.

Last night, for the second night in a row, Ferlotta and I dined at Onaga, the Guam-cuisine mecca of Bellevue Center Mall. The owner, Tony Yeh, was formerly the kitchen manager at 101st Airborne. He has opened a low-cost eatery in a mall's food court that rivals Nashville's big-ticket grub joints (for example, the food is much better than Nick and Rudy's downtown).

On Thursday, for a total of about 17 bucks, we had lemon-coconut grouper (prepared in a fashion that I cannot deduce, but amazingly good) and shrimp pacifica (prawns in a zingy chili-tomato sauce). Each entree was served with the best grilled veggies I've had anywhere (the grouper was served with grilled carrots, daikon, asparagus, potatoes--the shrimp with grilled carrots, tomatoes, daikon, asparagus and broccoli) and rice pilaf that was wonderfully flavored. Oh yeah, and pretty good cheesecake, too.

Last night we had beer-cheese soup (yes, just like at 101st....amazing), the vegetarian plate (lotsa different grilled veggies, plus a roasted potato and rice), chicken marsala (very good) and grilled Mahi-Mahi (served with an amazing citrus/wine sauce).

Mr Yeh will talk your ear off as you order (making sure you are getting something that you'll like), and he gives each party a lot of attention, ensuring that everyone leaves happy. From the time we ordered, our food arrived hot and fresh-seeming within 5 minutes. He came out and played with our daughter, even doing a little song and dance, which made her laugh. We were left with the impression that this was a man who truly loves what he is doing, and it shows.

He let me look back into the kitchen, and it was very clean. There were two folks back there (a grill-guy and a "line cook", and it looked like an efficient set-up, indeed. I didn't see a microwave. There is a limited menu (varies daily), but I reckon this lets them get a few different things out quickly, and with precision.

We will continue to rave about this place, and give it our highest recommendation (especially considering the price). I am sure that the place will eventually expand, though I hope they retain the simple, fast, highly-personable style.

Hollie Shulick, a local food critic with whom I occasionally agree, wrote this review of Onaga.

Stealing Toys From a Dead Kid's Grave

2005-12-17T05:07:00.000-06:00

No, I'm not kidding. Story here. (Login me@nowhere.net password: nothing -- or use bugmenot)

This is enough to make me hope that Hell exists. The Dante Alighieri kind.

Make Pho, Not War

2005-12-11T19:54:00.000-06:00

Tonight, Beloved Wife and I took the 2-toothed monster out to our favorite Vietnamese greasy spoon, Kien Gang. The pho and all the other food is great, and you get a lot for your money. Some folks might not like the service, but as we are "regulars" we are treated well (plus, we've grown accustomed to the waiter not allowing us to order things he thinks we won't like, and having to go to the kitchen to get our own sweeteners and drink refills), and tonight, for example, one of the two "wait-persons" (one is the owner's condescending brother, the other his evil wife) was kind enough to change my (accidental) request for "sliced beef tendon noodle soup" to "sliced beef and meatball noodle soup".

Ferlie says that they have the best rice in Nashville.

As a family-run feeding place, Kien Gang is very child-friendly, and we even had the entertainment choice of Lord of the Rings on the TV or watching the owner's kids playing football in the parking lot (American Football, not that Commie-Kickball soccer stuff). Most of the crowd was Vietnamese, but there was an assortment of other Asians, honkies, negroes, and Messicans there, too.

I even took my dear ole Mama there once, and she liked it just fine. You can't ask for a better endorsement than that.

J.C. In the Hiz-ouse!

2005-12-10T22:00:00.000-06:00

Some of you have heard me rant about middle-aged, religious white guys trying to use rap music as a way to reach "the youth of America". Many of you have not, and don't worry, you won't today. However, I invite you to check out this Google Video Link, guaranteed to prompt mass nausea.

"He's Like a Gay, Black, Brad Pitt!"

2005-12-10T11:23:00.000-06:00

I overheard this comment at the Belcourt the other night. I'm still trying to get a picture of this in my mind.

And They Can't Act, Either!

2005-12-10T10:31:00.000-06:00

In celebration of Agent 8375309 accomplishing his Dec 8, 1980 mission, Ferlotta and I went out for an evening of fine artistic performance. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful and saw this "Western Zombie Christmas Musical" instead. There were several bits of hilarity, but truth be told, I've seen better-performed high school plays. In the performers' defense, the script, being the literary equivalent of a bedpan's contents, didn't give the performers much with which to work. I should note that the attempt to supply in profanity what it lacked it substance did not go unnoticed (also, that Jennifer Richmond, as "Town Whore" stood out from the rest of the cast as being able to sing and act).

I enjoy seeing a bad play almost as much as seeing a good movie, so the night was not a total loss. Ferlie and I have enjoyed mocking the production over the last few days, and I've tortured her with my renditions of some of the lyrics (I should note that Veronica enjoys my version of the title song, especially the little zombie dance I do with it). I will go see other productions by these folks, as I enjoy these smaller, more intimate-seeming performances.

If you want to read up on some "Zombie Survival" tips, go here.

The Other White Meat

2005-12-07T21:22:00.000-06:00

After a hard day of swimming, Yoga, and Christmas shopping, nothing beats coming home and cleaning out the garage. Nothing, that is, except eating the best roast pork loin in the history of heat and pork once you're finished! Just in case you're wondering, I rubbed it with vinegar, then rubbed it with garlic, injected it with a marinate of my own design, and "crusted" it with cinammon, red pepper, black pepper, kosher salt, and rosemary.

I may be exaggerating a bit, but I must say ummmm, ummm.

Also involving things that are white and mammalian: On the great news front, Marissa is doing better, and is home from the "IV Ordeal" at Centennial hospital (for all of my Roman friends, that's "IV" as in "intravenous", not "4 Ordeal", which might also be interesting, but I don't have a story for that. She and baby Jackson are doing well, and that's what matters. Further updates may appear on "The Wayward Hatch".

The Revolution Comes to Vanderbilt

2005-12-04T14:22:00.000-06:00

Well, okay, not the Revolution, just their guitarist Dez Dickerson. Story here. Working at Vandy, I get the opportunity to participate in cutting edge medical research, AND listen to lectures from b-list 80's musicians......Man, I love my job. Of course, it would've been better if they'd also had Wendy and Lisa and Dr Fink.

Rocky 6?

2005-12-04T13:45:00.000-06:00

Last night I went with my friend Travis to watch the Taylor vs Hopkins rematch. There was much fun had by all, and, in terms of sociology, it was very educational. Fried foods and malt liquor aside, I learned something else.....They are actually in the process of filming a sixth installment of the "Rocky" franchise (beware of spoilers).

The HBO PPV folks panned the cameras over to where Stallone was filming crowd and "entrance" scenes. It looks like "The Italian Stallion" is going back into the ring, though it looked as though he might need a hand getting through the ropest. Max Kellerman, oddly-bearded boxing analyst extraordinaire, claimed to have read the script, and he gave it a "thumbs up". Of course, since he's in the movie, you can't consider him to be an impartial critic.

Oh my. The horror, the horror. Excuse me whilst I eat some lightning and crap some thunder.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2005-12-04T13:17:00.000-06:00

Happy Belated Thanksgiving! Ferlie and I have no been promoted to "adult" status, having been allowed to host our first family event. We had a great time, surrounded by loved ones and great food (including, he typed humbly, the best turkey in history).

Soooo Juicy!

2005-12-04T13:16:00.000-06:00

The chef at work with the twenty-one pound Alton Brown bird. If you've never tried a brined turkey, you just don't know what you're missing.

Some of the Sides

2005-12-04T13:15:00.000-06:00

On the top left, Creamed corn and apple/sweet tater/walnut casserole from Aunt Mary. On the bottom row, my turkey gravy and ham-hock-collards, with Granny's potato peas in-between.

And More Food

2005-12-04T13:14:00.000-06:00

P-I-E!!!!

2005-12-04T13:13:00.000-06:00

Home-made pumpkin, pecan, walnut/chocolate, and sweet potato pies rounded off the dining experience.

2005-12-04T13:12:00.000-06:00

We're really glad cousin Smelly-Melly and her boy-friend (who's also a distant cousin of mine, just on the other side) made the drive up.

2005-12-04T12:30:00.000-06:00

Cousin Maddie lights up her eyes. She and her sister Anna-Banana were the life of the party.

2005-12-04T12:29:00.000-06:00

Uncle Alvin, after vanquishing all opponents at the card table, as well as the dinner table.

2005-12-04T12:28:00.000-06:00

My precious Ling-Ling and cousin Pancho are all smiles while "Lolo James" does all of the work.

2005-12-04T12:27:00.000-06:00

Granny and "Lola Mary" take a break from the festivities.

2005-12-04T12:20:00.000-06:00

Our good friends, the Robinsons, gave Ferlie a warm early Christmas present, which she's modelling for us here.

Ham Hock Heaven

2005-11-14T19:53:00.000-06:00

Last night I developed a hankering for some ham hocks and collard greens. Of course, I had to do it my own way, so I fried up the ham hocks in their own fat, then deglazed the pan with heavy cream to capture all the greasy little crispies. I added a pinch of red pepper, and preceded to mix it all in with the collards. You see the result here. I gotta say, it was tasty.

I know my po' ole Mama has to be confounded by my eating collard greens. When I was a kid, it was easier for her to split the atom than get me to eat collards, or any sorta greens, for that matter. I guess it just took me a long time to see the light.

2005-11-14T06:38:00.000-06:00

We were invited to lunch at the Mayo Family home the other day. Mrs. Mayo is one of my patients, and she and her husband are two of the nicest folks I've met. Mrs. Mayo is a retired chef and restauranteur, and the lunch was amazing. The Mayos are remodelling/rebuilding the farmhouse in which Mrs. Mayo was born, and I really enjoyed crawling around in it with Mr. Mayo. We had a great time, and there will be more pictures posted on Veronica's Blog tonight. The brown dog is Molly, and you can see that she had all of Veronica's attention.

Rome

2005-11-13T21:02:00.000-06:00

If you haven't been watching it, you've been missing something worth seeing. Rome, an HBO miniseries, is by far the best thing on television, IMHO. Wikipedia article here. Tonight's episode was so good, I don't mind that Vitali Klitschko retired and Alabama lost to LSU (well not for the moment, anyway).

Fat Jihad, Year Two

2005-11-09T21:00:00.000-06:00

While Googling myself tonight, the first actual "me" link to pop up was to a post from the Hatchblog from March 2004, in which Hatch called for a "Fat Jihad" against yours truly. Ferlie and I were not yet pregnant, I weighed in at 257 and the Hatch at 282. Our wives' pregnancies have led to something of an upward move in those numbers, though I am almost back to my "pre-pregnancy weight". Hatch is also trying to slim down, though my "chicken wings only" diet will lead me through to victory. It is both funny and sad that he and I have continued to live the lives of fat, hairy, white boys (but at least we have the hair part, eh Heff?). Oh well, time for that late night snack.

Of course, I was sad to see that Ferlie's and my wedding announcement no longer appears on the first Google page. I didn't pop up until page 3.

Road Rage

2005-11-09T13:57:00.000-06:00

Today I am finally recovered from suppressing yesterday morning's road rage. A person driving a red Saturn Vue (may she die of a bloody flux) was talking on her cellphone and driving both slowly and erratically, weaving in the I-40 East's left-hand lane. I ended up stuck behind her for 5 miles, during which she drove 45 mph in a 65 zone, with no one in front of her. Two large trucks were travelling at the same speed in the other two lanes. After a few minutes, the folks behind us began honking and flashing their lights. Neither set of actions led to any change in idiotic behavior. When I finally managed to pass her, (I respectfully decline to describe the manner in which I did so) I had a very difficult time resisting the impulse to pelt her with a lug nut (I always have a spare on hand), or at least gesturing in some profane manner. I did however, memorize her tag number. Hopefully I'll be able to resist the urge to find her and burn her house down.

I've never given in to "road rage", and I try not to let myself get too worked up over the rudeness and/or stupidity of others........but one day.......one day.....

B(BS)last from the Past

2005-11-08T06:54:00.000-06:00

Stumbling around the internet, I found this list of 205 area code BBSesses from the old days. Some of these I remember, most of them I don't, but this brought back a lot of memories of huddling around my Commodore-64, or Jim's 8086 (with a math co-processor!), and being wowed by the wide world of computing (well, that and general goofing around).

Any of you guys see any names that you recognize?

Blast From the Past

2005-11-05T22:28:00.000-06:00

My good buddy Mike told me that he had recently re-established contact with "Dr. Homecomer". We have to protect her identity, and if you read her blog, you'll understand why. Taylor (I guess the first name is safe) was a real hoot in college. I first met her when I dodged the water she was throwing at me (A group of us were making a drunken attempt at Christmas carolling, which disturbed her sleep or studying--almost as much as my mocking of her when she asked us to quiet down), leaving poor ole Burt to get soaked. I ended up getting to know her a bit, and she was certainly worth knowing. In addition to massive brain power, sharp wit, and a twisted sense of humor, she shared my contempt for the University's "establishment". She was the first openly gay woman to win a spot on the University of Alabama homecoming court (some of her campaign posters even featured her in a Star Fleet uniform). Read her blog, you'll enjoy it.

It's Not the Heat That Gets You.....

2005-11-05T16:19:00.000-06:00

We went down to visit Granny and Grandpa, and pictures from this visit will be up soon on Veronica's Blog.

On our way back, we stopped by to see Ninong Mike and Ninang Cassondra. They had some more great gifts for Rani (see the pictures below) and Ninong gave us a coupla bottles of his amazing, homemade barbecue sauce. Those who were at Mallet in the mid-80's through Y2K will remember Mike's great sauce. I don't think he's mass-marketing it yet, but I will definitely sign up to be a distributor.

2005-11-05T16:15:00.000-06:00

F.A.K. You!

2005-11-05T08:45:00.000-06:00

Malignant Melanoma is the cancer in which I'm the most interested. Several of my favorite patients have died of this disease, and I'm stupid enough to take it personally. In the very early stages it can be controlled, but once it progresses it is pretty much always fatal....or at least so far.

Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK), and learning how to target it, may well be the key to preventing the spread of malignant melanoma and several other cancers. Science Daily has the story here, on the research going on at Northwestern University.

Happy Birthday Ling!

2005-11-02T08:05:00.000-06:00

Today is my cherished wife's birthday. We are celebrating with lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, and then having dinner with Granny and Grandpa. I am a truly lucky man, particularly because of you, Ferlie. Mahal na mahal kita.

2005-10-31T06:57:00.000-06:00

We've finished all of the major projects around the house, most recently the sealing of the driveway. Hopefully, I'll be able to be a bit more "Bloggerly".

I added some more pictures to Veronica's World yesterday, updated the Boxing Fans Blog (there hasn't been much going on lately, though there are some big fights coming up), and I'll try to keep the information flowing.

Veronica's World Update

2005-10-29T10:50:00.000-05:00

I've finally added some more pictures to Veronica's Blog. She's starting to crawl, and her campaign to spread terror has officially begun.

The Bridge to Nowhere

2005-10-21T12:42:00.000-05:00

I despise the way that our government collects HUGE amounts in taxes which our elected officials scramble to distribute throughout the nation. I don't see any end in sight, but I would love to see the federal government allow the states to keep more of their money, and let them solve more of their own problems---like Alaska's 220+ million dollar bridge to an island with a population of 50 people.

I know that a lot of "beggar states" have gotten fat on the government's teat, taking in more money in pork projects than their citizens pay in with their taxes. I say let them find a way to deal with their problems, as opposed to dangling money to entice them to "toe the line".

I stole the link to this Neal Boortz comment from Tobermory. Original story here.

One of My Favorite Kooks

2005-10-16T10:12:00.000-05:00

When he's not being "beamed up" to the "Mother Wheel", Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, sometimes gets interviewed on Fox News. While looking for something else, I found this transcript of one of those recent interviews. One of my favorite bits:

FARRAKHAN: Well, I was in a tiny village in Mexico on the 17th of September, 1985. And I had a vision-like experience climbing a mountain there, on the top of which is a temple to the Mexo-American Christ figure, Ketso Quato. And one of these little UFOs came over that mountain and I was signaled from a group of persons to come. And I was beamed up into that small vehicle and carried to a larger vehicle, where I heard the voice of my leader and teacher, the Honorable Elijah Mohamed, saying these words to me, in early September, the president met with his joint chiefs of staff to plan a war.

I believe that Farrakhan, and other politically/socially active racists are detrimental to our society. I do support their right to speak their mind, however. Even when it's not this entertaining.

Farrakhan, and the organization he inherited from Elijah Mohamed, have been very successful at several things, among them, stirring the pot of racial discontent for personal gain. Now Farrakhan is spreading the notion that the U.S. government intentionally destroyed the levies in New Orleans. Hopefully the NOI and all of the other race-baiting misanthropes (like the National Socialist Party whose recent march to protest "black crime" precipitated a riot in Toledo...The Nazi assholes' version of the story here) will not become more of an influence on the American public. Unfortunately, they will. I predict that we'll be seeing more and more racist idiocy.

Border Woes

2005-10-15T06:35:00.000-05:00

This site is not an official U.S. site, but it has a lot of information (which may not be entirely accurate) about the U.S. border with Mexico. It also has an annoying Neil Diamond soundtrack.

My dear Dad told me of an incident that is said to have happened recently, in which Border Patrol agents were engaged in a large fire fight with folks on the Mexico side of the border. It's been said that two U.S. Border Patrol agents were severly wounded, and that there has been a high-level government cover-up. I have heard nothing about this in the news media, and I found nothing on the Web. But I did find a wonderful Illumati conspiracy story here.

I also found this, a recent story about border concerns, but no accounts of a large firefight.

I also found a bit about "the Halls of Montezuma".

All that said, I think that George W. Bush and his administration have, as each recent presidential administration has, betrayed the American people in their failure to secure our borders. Particularly after the events of September 11, 2001, G.W. Bush's failure to take the largest step necessary to provide for American security astounds and confounds me. As "Jackie Chiles" would say, "I am shocked and chagrined....mortified, and stupified!". I don't know if it will ever be any different.

Our government's intentional failure has it's motivations, including the desire/need for cheap labor, the courting of the Hispanic vote, and a social engineering philosophy with which I do not agree. There are others reasons, I imagine, but I have no desire to have a symposium over the porous borders. I just want them secured.

This Is Not the Last of These Scumbags, I Fear

2005-10-10T22:09:00.000-05:00

This is Joel Henry Henrichs III, American, convert to Islam, and suicide bomber. Apparently, he blew himself up outside of the Oklahoma University football game on October 1. The major news outlets haven't given the incident much coverage, and there is a lot of conflicting information. Points of contention include whether or not the guy tried to get into the ballgame prior to exploding himself, and whether or not the guy attended the same mosque as September 11, 2001 terrorist Zacharias Moussaoui.

There will be more American-born converts to Islam who will attack America and/or American interests. There will also be plenty who won't. I don't know about you, but I will remain suspicious.

Domino-oh-oh

2005-10-09T10:40:00.000-05:00

I don't think that we'll see it in the theater, but Domino (official site here) intrests me. The whole "based on a true story....sort of" disclaimer scores points in my book, as it seems that the movie's ties to Domino Harvey's true story are all but non-existent, and the film-makers don't try to pass this off as a biopic.

The crazy, drugged out lesbianthat inspired this story was recently found dead in a bathtub. You can't buy that kind of advertising, so I'm thinking that the movie might do well. Her father was movie star Lawrence Harvey, her mother a covergirl, and her millionaire stepfather owned the Hard Rock Cafe. She did a bit of modelling, a lot of drugs, and ended up becoming an assistant bounty hunter. Some writers dismiss her "bounty hunting" as a rich little bored drug addict helping others round up homeless drug addicts, nothing like the action sequences depicted in the movies. According to "The Superficial":

Not that a girl could never be a bounty hunter, it’s just that a girl could never be a bounty hunter. If I was dating a girl who claimed she was one, I would just nod politely and then give her a new mission: “hunt” me down a piece of pie. And a glass of milk. And then I’d smack her on the ass as a send off, cause girls like to be reminded who's in charge.

I'm also curious to see if this movie, and his performance in Sin City, brings Mickey Rourke back from B&C-movie Hell.

For Those With a Not-So-Descriminating Palate

2005-10-09T07:50:00.000-05:00

On my old friend Will Cockrell's blog (be wary, Will is an angry Somoan man), I came across a link to Bumwine.com, which is a site devoted to studying the merits, virtues, and shortcomings of the "big five" bum wines. That led to me look around a bit, and I found the "Ghetto Wine" site, which had a few amusing bits.

I even found out that The Michigan Daily did a taste-test, though they also included wines that no "self-disrespecting" bum would touch, due to the lack of economic prudence involved in consuming anything less than 17.5%. It was no surprise that the winner was Boone's Farm Snowberry Creek, the one with the lowest alcohol content.

My days of sampling such ware are long since past, but I do have some fond memories that combine Kountry Kwencher-filled champagne fountains, Hatch, and Joe Abreu, and of hearing Rogers Alley and Pat Pace singing their take on the old classic:

What's the word?
THUNDERBIRD!
What's the price?
A DOLLAR TWICE!
How much more at the Corner Store?
CAN'T GET IT NO MORE AT THE CORNER STORE!

Those Silly Doctors

2005-10-08T21:15:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon this blog tonight, and found myself recognizing people (or at least archetypes) from some of the stories. Here is a sample, where the med-student is describing a possible future rectal exam:

"Please lower your pants and I'll perform the rectal examination. I would like to remind you that this rectal exam is sponsored by the good folks at ExtremeRestraints.com, makers of quality anoscopes used by hospitals and anal fetish proponents worldwide. If you would like to purchase a home anoscope device, please talk to our receptionist outside. I will now insert my finger into your rectum."

It may be that this guy is the next Tucker Max, though he certainly seems to be of more value to the world as a whole as everyone's least-favorite potty-mouthed party boy.

Hey Carol, Make Sure You Do That Self-exam

2005-10-05T06:59:00.000-05:00

According to this study cited by the infallible Yahoo!, left-handed women are more than twice as likely to get breast cancer.

Spiderman III, with Topher Grace?

2005-10-05T06:43:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon a blog, The Cloven Bunny, that had an entry about Spiderman III rumors. I don't think I buy the notion of Topher Grace playing Venom, but hey, ya never know.

You Can't Take the Sky From Me

2005-10-04T21:16:00.000-05:00

After lunch at Monell's, Ferlie and I went to see Serenity (official site here) today. Man, what a great flick. It stood up well to a second viewing. I hope that the series will make a television return, though I'm not holding my breath. I won't blather on about the movie, but I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Die Polanski, Die!

2005-10-02T17:34:00.000-05:00

Hatch posted this, in response to reading this on CNN.com. I've enjoyed some of Polanski's films, but I've made a point of not paying to do so. In addition to making picture-shows, Polanski is a confessed and convicted pedophile, and as I have no intention of doing anything that will contribute to his happiness or well-being.

Hatch and I talked at length about Polanski the other night, (prior to going to see Serenity, one of the best action/adventure/sci-fi movies that I've ever seen) and last night, while dining out with my wife, child, and parents, I had the profound lack of pleasure to find myself unable to avoid hearing the high-volume conversation of a rude pair of yankees at a nearby table. The male (the father of the female) droned on about Polanski and his connection to the Manson murders (he was wrong in most of the facts he stated, however), and expressed his opinion, which is the same as that of Hatch and myself----the bastard should go to jail, and the whining and hand-wringing of Polanski apologists should be ignored or condemned. On other blogs, I've seen a lot of posts about this topic. Polanski's PR people must be trying to find a way to get him back into the States.

It seems the French have enjoyed harboring this fugitive from justice (after admitting to drugging and having sex with a 13-year-old, he fled the U.S.), and I guess they feel that their tolerance of pedophilia is part of their superiority. Let them keep him.

As for "forgiving" Polanski, I believe that under no circumstances should he be pardoned. I'm sure that there are a lot of folks who would like that. Maybe they'll move to France as well.

Here's another bit from Nicholas Stix:

(Screen “historian” Leonard Maltin misrepresented the case. In a passage reprinted at Polanski’s biography page at imdb.com from Maltin’s 1994 Movie Encyclopedia, he claimed, “He was embroiled in a scandal over having sex with an underage model in 1977; rather than face the charges, he chose to flee the country.” No, Mr. Maltin; he had already pled guilty. Rather than face punishment, he chose to flee the country.)

Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer!

2005-10-02T10:02:00.000-05:00

Hey Gators!

While I only saw the game during "deck-pressure-washing-breaks", I loved it. The Tide is rolling down in 'Bama once more. The #5 Gators were completely outplayed, and I'm curious to see how Alabama is ranked, come Monday.

Feeling Like A Plumber

2005-09-30T05:11:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, I decided to install the faucet of Ferlie's choice in our new home. Above is the "before" picture, with the cheap, leaky faucet that came with the house.
After several-dozen curse words, I arrived at the wonderful stage of having a mess, but no functioning sink.
Finally, the wonderful piece of Moen hardware was installed, and once again water is available, without ladling it out of the toilet.

We Joined the Honda Brotherhood

2005-09-10T22:41:00.000-05:00

After owning exclusively American cars (most of them actually made in Canada, oddly enough) for years, today we bought this used Honda Accord. The safety ratings are good, and the gas milage, combined with Honda's record for superior reliability, made this a no-brainer for us. We test-drove a lot of different vehicles. Hopefully it will serve us well.

Solar Cars!

2005-09-02T22:38:00.000-05:00

After mentioning Ed Passerini in the previous post, I wanted to find some links about his work with solar-powered cars. Here, and here, and here, and here. If you're inclined to read his tendentious book, here's a link to it.

He let me drive one of his cars in the early 90's, and while it was very low-powered, I was jazzed. It felt like a mixture of a Honda CRX and a battery-powered golf cart. Maybe I'll build one....someday. Passerini is a kook, but I genuinely liked him.

You can email him, if you're curious: epasseri@nc.ua.edu

An added note, one of the links refers to a man as "his longtime partner". He was chasing chicks back in the 1990's, so I'm not sure how "partner" was being used. Damn confusing modern-speak.

Finally (Mostly) Done!

2005-09-02T21:11:00.000-05:00

Casa de Clemmons is taking shape. There is still some unpacking and arranging to do, but life is starting to be nice again. The blog is back!

Since we last went a-blogging, a big 'ole hurricane happened to the Gulf Coast. I've been blabbering about N'awlins getting itself destroyed since I heard everybody's favorite eco-nut Ed Passerini's lecture about this in 1991-2. I'm not surprised at what has happened, but I am saddened.

The leaders of New Orleans, the State of Louisiana, and the federal government (past and present) all could have and should have done better.

Gas Panic!!

2005-08-18T06:41:00.000-05:00

We got a frantic call yesterday, warning us that the truckers were going on strike, and that people were lining up, laying siege to petrol stations in the fear that all of the fuel would be gone. We saw no evidence of this here in Nastyville, but it really happened back in North Alabama, even if the reason for the panic was a canard. In the defense of the panic-ees, there was some trucker protesting going on.

A lot of folks live in fear of another big trucker strike, like the one in 1974, which was held in protest of high fuel prices (though they were relatively MUCH higher than today's). Many of the folks in North Alabama remember the Shoals-area murder that was a centerpiece of the last big strike, when a trucker who had "crossed the picket lines" was shot to death on Highway 72.

Mine! Mine! Mine! (Whap!) Ours! Ours! Ours!

2005-08-17T19:31:00.000-05:00

We closed on the house yesterday, and the world has not yet ended. The sellers were cordial enough to us in person, but apparently they weren't the easiest folks with which our agent has dealt. Patsey earned her commission (all of which is going to pay for her daughter's wedding) by handling pretty much everything for us, and I've gotta say that this wasn't nearly so traumatic as we had been expecting. Patsey also earned our gratitude by spending a great deal of time (and gas) with us, answering our questions, and giving us a lot of attention. I believe that she looked after our interests very well. If you are looking for a real estate agent in the Middle-Tennessee area (she's based out of Columbia) I think that you'd be well-served using her.

Anybody who wants to come help us lift (not all that) heavy stuff on Saturday morning (and help me do CPR on Hatch, who says he's going to help) will be treated to an amazing meal (as well as earning Paul-sweat-credits to be redeemed at a later date).

Greenpeace Weinies Hate Tucker Carlson...Mebbe I'll Start Watching

2005-08-13T08:41:00.000-05:00

Everybody knows Tucker Carlson as the bow-tie wearing, conservative TV commentator who was called "a dick" by John Stewart. I'm not a particularly big fan of Carlson's, though I did see a debate segment featuring him and Max Kellerman, and that was quite amusing.

Apparently Greenpeace is irked that Carlson, like many non-leftists, praised the French for their 1985 sinking of Greenpeace's ship "The Rainbow Warrior". What I didn't realize, until my research this morning, is that the attack, which involved the placing and detonating of two bombs aboard the boat, was found to be the work of the French Secret Service (DGSE). Other bits here, here, and here.

Somehow, I had previously had the idea that the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior was the result of one of the multitude of "rammings", where government or commercial vessels rammed the pesky Greenpeace bastards out of their way, or the Greenpeace bastards ram another boat to damage it. (Another guy, Paul Watson, has made his life's goal terrorizing the whaling industry by ramming and sinking whalers, and his donation-begging/propaganda page is here. Unlike the Greenpeace weinies, I kinda like the guy, even if I'd shoot him, were I a whaler. I may not agree with him, but, like Worf, I admire gall.)

While I still support the notion of a government swatting down one of the NGOs (non-governmental organizations) for it's misbehavior, finding that the sinking was a covertly executed bombing sours me a bit on the whole thing. I guess it smacks of the "worminess/weasley-ness" that is so often associated with all things French, and the folks who want to call it a terrorist act may have a point.

DaVinci, SplaVinci

2005-08-12T06:05:00.000-05:00

I've yet to read Dan Brown's books, but I've gotten a moderate amount of amusement from people who:

1) are convinced that the story is not fiction, despite Dan Brown's statements to the contrary
2) are awaiting God to smite Dan Brown for blasphemy
3) engage in pointless debates on the internet, spelling-be-damned.

Tom Hanks hasn't had one of his typical big money hits in quite a while, but I'm guessing he'll have one with the film adaptation of "The DaVininci Code". Not that I care, really, but I'm expecting Ron Howard and his team to "play nice" and sanitize the story to appease anyone who might be offended (Link found at the Hatchblog).

A Virtual Tour!

2005-08-10T15:38:00.000-05:00

Here's the old real-estate ad page for our new house, complete with a virtual tour. It's sorta creepy to me, since we never saw the place until after it had been vacated and painted.

A Google Grudge

2005-08-10T15:15:00.000-05:00

In a story about Google, it's CEO, and privacy, a reporter for CNet News.com included a great deal of personal information and links to information about Eric Schmidt (the CEO), including his home address. Google has responded by refusing to speak to any News.com reporters. Continuing story here.

A lot of folks have been bitching about this, but ya know....Google is a private (well, publicly traded, but you know what I mean) company, so they can do whatever they want, so long as it's legal. Of course, if you're pissed enough, you can always boycott Google.

A Sad Omen For Hatch

2005-08-09T18:08:00.000-05:00

In a sad bit of news, the South Korean version of Hatch has died, after playing computer games for 50 hours straight. Perhaps we need to stage an intervention before it is too late.

Home, Sweet Home

2005-08-08T22:45:00.000-05:00

Here's our new digs. We don't close until the 16th, but we've already come to think of it as home. We've been very happy with our real estate agent, Patsey Palmer, and while such transactions often result in bloodshed, it appears that all is going smoothly.

A Long Way From 'Bama

2005-08-07T06:15:00.000-05:00

My good buddy Mike put up a link to the Amazing Randi's Encyclopedia of All Things That Stupid, Stinking Hippies Believe (not the actual title), and while reading through it and following links, I discovered this. Apparently this former Mrs Alabama (did I ever tell you how much I detest beauty pageants?) has led a convoluted and confusing life of self-deception, and has capped it off with her own ministry.

Ms Cati is an "Apostate of Islam" (apostasy is punishable by death, according to sharia, or Islamic Holy Law), meaning that she left the Islamic faith, and disavows it's teachings, preachings, screechings.

Is Hanoi Jane Becoming Jihadi Jane?

2005-08-02T08:53:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting article by Ollie North about "Hanoi Jane" Fonda's upcoming vegetable oil (I'm sure he really means bio-diesel) powered war protest tour. I can't wait to see where she gets shot at/spit upon/assaulted first.

Of course, I am very interested in bio-diesel, especially if it becomes more practical down in my neck of the woods.

My Old Boss Died

2005-08-01T22:00:00.000-05:00

My old boss, a boozer, gambler, and whore-hopper extraordinaire, King Fahd (some spell it Fahad) ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has died. He was in poor health in recent years, and the administration of the country was handled by his brothers and half-brothers. I'm curious to see what happens next in Saudi Arabia, as Fahd's half-brother Abdullah, the crown prince, has always maintained close ties with the Mutawwa, who were the official enforcers of Wahabbism, and it seems that he's at odds with the remaining "Sudairi Seven".

Just in case you're interested, here's a pro-Fahd website, and an even more interesting article about the speculations of what happens next, and when Fahd really died (from a few days back).

And what the heck, let's throw in a positive Abdullah website as well....just remember it's propaganda.

Our country has been in too deep with these guys for too long.

Full Speed Ahead, Mr. Scott

2005-07-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

As we were driving home from work today, we heard the original Star Trek theme on the radio. I knew that meant that another original cast member had died. James "Scotty" Doohan, who, despite being Canadian, stormed the beach at Normandy, has died at the age of 85. He had Alzheimer's and developed a fatal pneumonia. He was an icon of my misspent sci-fi youth, and seemed to be a genuinely nice guy. Of the cast members, he was the one with whom I'd most liked to have shared dinner and some beers.

His NYT obituary is below:

James Doohan, who faked a Scottish burr to create one of television's most endearing characters, Chief Engineer Montgomery (Scotty) Scott of the U.S.S. Enterprise, died today at the age of 85.

Mr. Doohan, who had Alzheimer's disease, died of pneumonia at his home early this morning, said his agent, Steven Stevens.

Whenever Captain Kirk said "Beam me up, Scotty" or its many variants, he was talking to the character played by Mr. Doohan, an irascible engineer whose cries of "Captain! The engines canna take nae more!" and references to warp speed and dilithium crystals have resonated through popular culture since 1966, when the original Star Trek's three seasons began.

He later appeared in seven Star Trek movies and in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," a series set 75 years after the original Star Trek was to have taken place. (The time gap was explained by Mr. Scott's having jury-rigged a form of suspended animation by sending himself into a pattern buffer in the transporter and keeping his matter circulating in the unit through continuous diagnostic loop. Like all Star Trek explanations, it sounds good if you say it fast.)

In that show, Mr. Scott expressed astonishment at the approach of that ship's engineer, Geordie LaForge, to telling his captain how long it would take to work through a particular problem. "Oh, you didn't tell him how long it would really take, did you?" When Mr. LaForge said he had, Mr. Scott replied with exasperation, "Oh, laddie, you've got a lot to learn if you want people to think of you as a miracle worker!"

James Montgomery Doohan was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 3, 1920. He was the youngest of four children, and his father, Mr. Doohan would later write in his memoir, "Beam Me Up, Scotty," was an abusive alcoholic. Mr. Doohan served in World War II, and was struck by six bullets during the D-Day Invasion in Normandy. One of the bullets blew off his middle right finger, an injury he would later conceal from the Star Trek television cameras.

Married three times, he is survived by his third wife, the former Wende Braunberger, and seven children. The four children from his first marriage, now grown, are Larkin, Deirdre, Montgomery and Christopher; his third marriage produced three children: Eric, Thomas and Sarah, who was born in 2000 when Mr. Doohan was 80.

When he first auditioned for the role of ship's engineer with Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, Mr. Doohan read the lines with a variety of accents, including French and German. "They both decided an engineer has got to be a Scotsman," Mr. Stevens recalled.

Mr. Doohan became so closely associated with his character that it was difficult for him to get other parts. But if he resented having taken a role that all but ended his acting career, he did not show it, said Walter Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov in the original television series and rode the lucrative convention circuit with him.

"He accepted it," he said. "He delighted in the attention."

Mr. Stevens, the agent, said that Mr. Doohan "loved the idea that he'd be in an airport and somebody from Kenya or some Middle Eastern country would come up and say, 'You're Scotty!' And he'd stop and take pictures." He even enjoyed the endless gantlet of conventions, Mr. Stevens said. "Some people might think, 'Ugh - the poor guy's got to sit and sign autographs.' He'd have done it for free."

Mr. Doohan influenced a generation of engineers, who saw him as role model. The Milwaukee School of Engineering awarded Mr. Doohan an honorary doctor of engineering degree in 1993 "after a survey of students revealed that a large number of respondents said the character Scotty's 'engineer' title piqued their interest in the field," said Kathleen McCann, a spokeswoman for the school. "He brought the field of engineering to the forefront of pop culture," she said in an e-mail response to questions.

When he attended a special James Doohan Farewell Star Trek Convention last summer, using a wheelchair but alert, one of the people who spoke at the ceremony was Neil Armstrong, the first person to actually walk on the soil of another world and a "Star Trek" fan. According to accounts of the event, Mr. Armstrong said he hoped his next command would be a Federation starship, and added "if I get that command, I want a chief engineering officer like Montgomery Scott."

Mr. Koenig said that the night before the event, he held a dinner in Mr. Doohan's honor. There were many tributes and many stories, Mr. Koenig recalled, "and a lot of laughs all around." Mr. Doohan - as always - basked in the attention and love.

Mr. Koenig said that at the end of the evening, as Mr. Doohan was being wheeled out, he slowed for a word. "He said it was nice, but it was a lot too long," he recalled with a laugh.

Mr. Doohan requested that his remains be shot into space, and his family has arranged through Space Services Inc., a Houston company that provides "memorial spaceflights" and which also sent the remains of Mr. Rodenberry and Timothy Leary into space in a 1997 flight.

Iter Baby!

2005-07-11T21:49:00.000-05:00

I talked to my good friend Jim about a great many things last night, one of which was this. ITER sounds like a great idea to me, even if the physics are way over my head.

300 Pounds, Baby!

2005-07-08T09:58:00.000-05:00

This morning, I reached my goal of bench-pressing 300 lbs. I had hoped to do this by Summer's end, but I found myself in the mood to give it a go today. My new goal? To be able to bench press whatever Hatch's weight has ballooned to by Summer's end.

Well, Screw Them, Too!

2005-07-08T09:55:00.000-05:00

It looks like anti-Americanism is rearing it's ugly head in the Olympics. For the first time since 1936, a sport has been removed from the Olympics, this time two of them. Baseball and softball were voted out by secret ballot. Story here.

Hah! We ARE Tougher Than You

2005-07-06T17:25:00.000-05:00

Apparently, studies are showing that men, not women, actually have a higher tolerance for pain. Of course, I'd never say that. Besides, women do have to "put up with" us men.

See The Comet

2005-07-06T16:02:00.000-05:00

One of the benefits of working at Vandy is the Dyer Observatory. Here's a link to their Deep Impact footage, just click on the Vanderbilt bit down at the middle of the bottom of the page. It's a huge file, and will only be there for the next 25 days or so.

Officially Strong

2005-07-06T10:58:00.000-05:00

Finally. After much struggling, I am now "Officially Strong". According to my good buddy Mike, you're not officially strong until you can bench press 225 lbs ten times. I've been stuck at nine reps for a couple of weeks, but had my breakthrough this morning. I'm still working towards my goal of benching 300lbs by the end of the Summer, which I should be ready to do, according to the single-rep calculator at bodybuilding.com. I did 275 lbs the other day, but I won't try the big 300 for a while, though, and definitely not without a good spotter. My gym, if you could call it that, is primarily frequented by senior citizens, women, and freaky Euro-trash guys who couldn't lift my lunchbox.

Die Scrushy, Die!

2005-07-06T06:11:00.000-05:00

Well, it looks like the scumbag will be facing further court scrutiny. The SEC is seeking big bucks in a civil lawsuit against him, after he was acquitted by a jury that was either composed of idiots or bought.

Here's Scrushy's website and auto-bio.

Pancreatic Cancer and Rolling the Dice

2005-07-01T14:01:00.000-05:00

A big part of my job is counselling cancer patients, many (if not most) of whom have a very poor prognosis. When I first started nursing, pancreatic cancer was pretty much a death sentence, with a five-year survival rate of (essentially) zero. I had the pleasure of telling a pancreatic cancer patient today that he had, based on his tumor, it's location, and his response to treatment 15 times the chance of survival that most pancreatic cancer patients have today. That is, he has a 15% chance of living five years.

Damn.

But still, it's better than it was, and believe it or not, the guy was relieved to hear this.

Where's Rick Deckard When You Need Him?

2005-07-01T03:06:00.000-05:00

Here's a Japanese-produced "skin job"(human-appearing robot), named Repliee Q1, who had her "coming out" at World Expo 2005. "She" is fueling the fantasies of paranoid Luddites and Japanese perverts like nothing before.

For those of you who don't know, Rick Deckard is a character in the Philip K Dick novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", and also in the movie version "Blade Runner". His job was to hunt down and kill sophisticated androids, who were difficult to distinguish from humans.

Here's an interesting take from Hollywoodjesus.

The Repliee site, even with some short video clips.

The Testicular Cancer Ball

2005-06-30T20:28:00.000-05:00

Tuesday night Ferlotta and I went to a testicular cancer semen-ar, and what a night it was. It isn't every day you get to have dinner with someone who's fondled Lance Armstrong's balls (unless you hang out with his homewrecker girlfriend Sheryl Crow, or the wife he abandoned).

Dr Timmerman, formerly of Indiana University, now at UT Southwestern was part of the team who treated Lance Armstrong, and has become one of the big names in radiation oncology. Because of a mix-up in the planning, he ended up sitting with us at the peon table, instead of the bigwig table, so I got to talk with him quite a bit. He's a good speaker, and a relatively nice guy (for a doctor), so I enjoyed it. Apart from cancer treatment, we talked Texas high school football, we talked about the "evil empire", and we talked about the difficulty of getting poor folks to comply with medical treatment (he attempted, but completely failed, to apply one of his pet theories, developed in South Dakota, to Tennesse. As one might expect, acted a bit of an ass when he realized he was wrong, but not too badly).

Those of you interested in prostate cancer might be interested to know that he's gotten a grant to start the first ever clincal study on stereotactic radiosurgery for prostate cancer (I was excited because I had tried to research this before, and found that there have been none). Dr Timmerman says the outcome of this could be taking prostate cancer radiotherapy from 8.5 weeks to less than 1 week, AND with fewer side effects. Good luck, Dr T!

Could I Have Beaten Mike Tyson?

2005-06-27T08:14:00.000-05:00

Of course not. However, I find it amusing that the guy who just beat Iron Mikey, the lovely and talented Kevin McBride, was bragging about this:

"In boxing, anybody over 200 pounds can hit and I see myself as a bigger, stronger man than Danny Williams," said McBride, who is dedicating the fight to his late father, Kevin Sr., who died six years ago. "I come to fight. I train hard. I'm bench pressing 265 pounds."

Hell, I did that this morning (and I'm not yet "officially strong", according to Ninong Mike). There's a 70-year-old guy at the "Y" downtown that can do that and more. I once read that George Foreman could bench press 400lbs. Do that, and I'll be impressed, Kevin.

Eat 'em and Weep

2005-06-26T22:41:00.000-05:00

I've had the dehydrator hard at work turning habenero peppers from the deep-freeze into my biological weapon chili powder (aka weapon of ass destruction). These are some that we grew on the farm last year.

Boxing Fans Blog

2005-06-25T21:57:00.000-05:00

A few friends and yours truly have started a blog within the confines of which we blather on about boxing. Feel free to look, and if you'd like to join, just lemme know.

"Star Wars III: A Steaming Pile of Sith"

2005-06-24T11:36:00.000-05:00

Now, I enjoyed the most recent Star Wars flick, even though it was not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination. This guy, however, really hated it. Read his review here.

It's Almost Time to Get Out the Guns

2005-06-23T12:38:00.000-05:00

Did you guys read this?

Apparently, the supremes are allowing local governments to seize privately owned land for private development. Basically, if your city council decides it wants to have a mall, apartment complex, or some other tax-generating structure built where your house is, they can take your land against your wishes, compensate you as they see fit, and give the land to a private developer.

In her dissent, Sandra Day O'Connor wrote:

"Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party,
but the fallout from this decision will not be random...The
beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence
and power in the political process, including large corporations and development
firms."

She was joined in her opinion by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, as
well as Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

The part of my mind that has sympathy for state's rights issues says "yay" for the Supremes acknowledging that the federal government has no business overseeing local land transactions, which the local governments should be best-suited to supervise. Unfortunately, this is one of those issues where the federal government needs to kick the state and local governments in the ass, so that they follow that Constitution-thingy. It's too bad that the Supremes got it wrong, this time. Read the Fifth Amendment, and tell me what you "public use" means.

Anybody notice that it's the "pro-corporation, right-wing nutjobs" opposing this? This is why Supreme Court nominations are so important.

Vote....and learn how to shoot.