tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39242868963692497612024-03-05T01:52:21.968-08:00Annoying JoeA place to disseminate the nonsense of the day, both internal and external..AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-6484033327016714142013-07-25T07:20:00.003-07:002013-07-25T07:20:31.433-07:00Fine Print<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is something that has been bothering me for some time...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcAWqLfEFovR35q_gqgrAzir81HcxUHqmFdKeY32NXICN2ctvyXkcf_P3Rm-NAKHfOD3KxsnMro9CjPbwRZqS5AjZgWn7GlxM3FfZ_QSzKEz7A664I6ZBd8LWuQRIlq-CJx7wq7XRnwM2/s1600/IMG_0202%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcAWqLfEFovR35q_gqgrAzir81HcxUHqmFdKeY32NXICN2ctvyXkcf_P3Rm-NAKHfOD3KxsnMro9CjPbwRZqS5AjZgWn7GlxM3FfZ_QSzKEz7A664I6ZBd8LWuQRIlq-CJx7wq7XRnwM2/s320/IMG_0202%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In my neck of the woods it is the practice of a few gas stations to charge a reasonable price for gas provided you are paying in cash. If you are using your debit or credit card? Well, as you can see, there is a dramatic price increase, in this case an increase of $.80 per gallon. </div>
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What's the problem? On the surface, nothing. The owner of the gas station can and should be able to set any price that he or she deems fit. It is the responsibility of the consumer to decide whether or not said price is fair and appropriate. You know, supply and demand. Barter 101. </div>
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Gas stations, by necessity, advertise the price of their gas with the use of large signs and billboards that are easily discernible from the road. What the signs at the gas stations with disparate differences between cash and credit/debit prices don't tell the consumer is the price for a debit/credit purchase. What is displayed is solely the cash price and the word "cash" somewhere on the same sign. The word "cash" is generally displayed with letters significantly smaller than the numbers used to display the cash price of the gas. Essentially, it's the fine print. Nowhere on the large signs is the debit/credit price mentioned. Furthermore the cash price for gas at these stations, as with the station from which the above picture was taken, is generally below the average price for a gallon of gas at stations in the area.</div>
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So what is going on here? Well, I'm going to assume that the owners of these gas stations know a few things about the average consumer. First, I assume that they know that the first thing that will stick out to the average consumer is the displayed price and its lower price relative to other stations. Second, I assume that they know that a large percentage of consumers use debit and credit cards for a large percentage of purchases. From the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/credit-card-payments-growth_n_1575417.html">Huffington Post</a>...</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Last year 27 percent of all point-of-sale purchases were made with cash and that number is expected to drop to 23 percent by 2017, according to a report published Wednesday by </span><a href="https://www.javelinstrategy.com/brochure/251" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #2b0073; cursor: pointer; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">Javelin Strategy & Research</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">, a market research firm.</span></blockquote>
Third, I assume that they know that of the 70+% of average consumers, a large portion will either be unaware of the price difference or be too busy/low on gas to find another station. And some consumers just might not even care.<br />
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Going back to my opening statement; this has been bothering me for some time. Why? It's perfectly legal. The price displayed on the large sign is advertised as a cash price. The problem is that somewhere in this process, in this "communication" between the seller and the consumer, there is an attempt by the seller to deceive the consumer, something akin to a "bait and switch" that is specifically designed to lure the consumer in to under somewhat false pretenses. The customer, now having been drawn in is having his or her situation and purchasing habits being taken advantage of when now confronted with the hefty non-cash price.<br />
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And that's capatalism, isn't it? Taking advantage of a situation for profit. But what about honesty and fair dealing between members of a community. What does it say that one neighbor is willing to go to such lengths to deceive and take advantage of another?<br />
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Of course, I'm being naive and maybe idealistic. What I'm railing against isn't shifty practices at gas stations. What I'm railing against is human nature. Heck, I'm railing against the very <strike>concept</strike> theory of evolution. Obviously we haven't evolved past it.<br />
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AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-63023405288147023932012-07-06T14:58:00.000-07:002012-07-06T14:58:00.823-07:00Things That Bother Me for No Reason II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNX4EvNx4HRVwrAEa5XjC_Eq1PIj89FfbleFRi4rWa7SFm64EzlHo7v4AzQkuOnEGYnPKJIbKvrcJDhdPm94PAAiVjQpnVMalSQS27zwebaNm2qJ3V7B7qkiJoZdduZ8WVXg5BPCENXm1D/s1600/FirstClassXavier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNX4EvNx4HRVwrAEa5XjC_Eq1PIj89FfbleFRi4rWa7SFm64EzlHo7v4AzQkuOnEGYnPKJIbKvrcJDhdPm94PAAiVjQpnVMalSQS27zwebaNm2qJ3V7B7qkiJoZdduZ8WVXg5BPCENXm1D/s320/FirstClassXavier.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When someone says "I thought to myself..."<br />
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Is it possible to think to someone else?<br />AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-90907148634664482612012-07-03T13:23:00.002-07:002012-07-03T13:23:55.148-07:00Things That Bother Me for No Reason<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VG8bdWutaVU8qKpoqqr0WgSFDsczWlvmkDcdiZBAiL-FoYbrnbkKZmb1EKO6Ml5YBRFVq_-8pSO9fT2hRolWdC5XJMrWtDNJKXFdenWHkZZGzvLEYkFGY1vfl-Xgx71EaPCMQUAlkV6W/s1600/cecil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VG8bdWutaVU8qKpoqqr0WgSFDsczWlvmkDcdiZBAiL-FoYbrnbkKZmb1EKO6Ml5YBRFVq_-8pSO9fT2hRolWdC5XJMrWtDNJKXFdenWHkZZGzvLEYkFGY1vfl-Xgx71EaPCMQUAlkV6W/s1600/cecil.jpg" /></a></div>
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When someone says the following; "I witnessed firsthand..."<br />
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Can you witness something secondhand?<br />AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-92204809405489686372012-06-28T18:54:00.002-07:002012-06-28T19:37:14.777-07:00"Healthcare" or "You Asked For It"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmBGrd_CYZTw-Qav64OD_WvdL-QFhz79IrXkoKEAFEKxZBr0cqAJv18qZW_Msl6tXwBFzfrAFiNh1RxEmHLvEIgDwUzPHn6nvXdmemitkSMpLY3HorYgFGUtAq0jutv57-CU5cVLJmRdE/s1600/spanking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmBGrd_CYZTw-Qav64OD_WvdL-QFhz79IrXkoKEAFEKxZBr0cqAJv18qZW_Msl6tXwBFzfrAFiNh1RxEmHLvEIgDwUzPHn6nvXdmemitkSMpLY3HorYgFGUtAq0jutv57-CU5cVLJmRdE/s320/spanking.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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Just some random thoughts on the state of healthcare in our country in light of today's SCOTUS decision on BlackManCare. I mean Obamascare. I mean Obamacares. I mean ObamaCARE. sorry.<br />
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The better half's cousins were up from Virginia this past weekend for graduation parties and general tomfoolery. The better half's cousin is married to a nice southern gentleman and they have two young children. This gentleman is a teacher in a public school. He also coaches various sports teams for said public school. At one point during the weekend we got around to talking about the fiscal crisis this public school is in and the tenuous state of the school budget. It was around this time that the gentleman informed us what he pays for health insurance per month. For himself, his wife and two children he pays THIRTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS per month. That's a one, a three and two zeros. That's 1.3 large. That's over 15k per year. Folks, that's a mortgage payment. The school contributes about $400 per month. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the fact that VA has banned the collective bargaining rights of teachers. Today, Representative Jeb Hensarling (R. Texas) said, in response to the Supreme Court ruling on "Obamacare" - "This is not a good day for struggling American families who wish to keep the healthcare that they have." Cue: Irony.<br />
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On a side note, non-unionized Virginia <a href="http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-02-23/news/30101220_1_union-battle-teachers-unions-test-scores">ranks real low in standardized testing</a>. But I digress...<br />
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So which is worse: That insurance companies and those who represent them politically attempt to disguise their desire to take your money and deny you coverage under the veil of "personal choice," or that there are people that actually fall for it?<br />
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Actually, it goes beyond that. If you ask me, insurance companies and deductables and co-pays and ou-of-network costs and generic drugs and pre-authorizations etc. are only symptoms. The real problem is the way we provide healthcare in this country. Let me tell a little story...<br />
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I suffer from sleep apnea. Actually, my better-half suffers from my sleep apnea, but that's for another time. Anywho, I went for a sleep study that confirmed what my better-half had been saying for a year; I snore something awful and actually stop breathing upwards of forty times an hour. Subsequently, I was told that I needed a machine to help me breath at night which, of course, required a prescription. So it was off to the pulmonalogist. I got my machine, and my better-half and I both have been sleeping like babies ever since, sans bedwetting. This was two years ago. Last year, I was admitted to the hospital for an infection that required IV antibiotics and a three day admission. On day two of the aforementioned admission, a young lady entered my room with an empty stretcher and informed me that she was to take me down to radiology for a chest x-ray. I got to thinking...this infection had nothing at all to do with my respiratory system. Not even a little. Why would I need a chest x-ray? I'm a non-smoker, no asthma, not even a slight cough. What gives? Turns out, the pulmonalogist who I had seen for my sleepy machine was affiliated with the hospital in which I was admitted. As such, she was alerted to my admission. Without stepping into my hospital room she wrote in my chart, in big letters, CXRAY. That would explain the young lady standing before me with the empty stretcher. "No!" my inner voice cried, feuled by my fairly extensive medical background and limited common sense. The voice continued, "a chest x-ray is in no way indicated in your case. You're breathing like a champ. And the Dr. didn't even come into your room, much less listen to your lungs! There's no way you're getting on that stretcher." Which is exactly what I did. Doctor's orders. Three weeks later I recieved the itemized bill for my hospital visit. And there it was. Nestled in between the anesthesiologist bill and three days of indesputably crappy TV service. CXRAY - $800. Shit...<br />
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So who is to blame in all of this? Must be the lawyers. Why else do Drs. order frivolous and often redundant medical tests? To avoid lawsuits of course. Imagine I had developed a lump in my lungs prior to my admission that was in no way clinically diagnosable and could only be detected by an x-ray. Without any symptoms, I would never had sought out an x-ray. In the hospital, there would be zero clinical indication for an x-ray, so it wasn't ordered. BUT, six months down the road, here I am, all gaunt and lawyered up, demanding to know why the hospital didn't do an x-ray 6 months earlier and catch my progressive cancer. And THAT is why the pulmonalogist order my CXRAY. It wasn't for me. She was only covering her...<br />
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<br />AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-48604499661443399072012-06-25T16:22:00.002-07:002012-06-25T16:23:35.875-07:00It Never Gets Old. Or Less Frightening.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/loch-ness-monster-used-debunk-evolution-state-funded-190816504.html">Yahoo...</a> <br />
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It sounds like a hoax, but it's apparently true: The Loch Ness Monster is on the science class syllabus for kids at <a href="http://www.eternitychristianacademy.com/about.html" id="yui_3_5_1_23_1340664567165_340">Eternity Christian Academy</a> in Westlake, Louisiana.<br />
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<em><span style="color: blue;">Wait, what?</span></em><br />
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As reported by the <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/education/how-american-fundamentalist-schools-are-using-nessie-to-disprove-evolution.17918511" id="yui_3_5_1_23_1340664567165_341">Herald Scotland</a> (which must track all Loch Ness-related news), a school that will receive tax-payer dollars, will teach kids that the mythological sea creature is real in order to debunk the theory of evolution. So pay attention: That will be on the test.<br />
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<em><span style="color: blue;">Way to pick and choose your hoaxes. See: Bigfoot. Of course the existence of Bigfoot would go a long way in supporting Darwin. </span></em><br />
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Eternity Christian Academy uses the <a href="http://www.aceministries.com/curriculum/">fundamentalist A.C.E. Curriculum</a> to teach students "<a href="http://www.aceministries.com/curriculum/">to see life from God's point of view</a>."</div>
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According to the Herald, one textbook, <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/grade-9-biology-score-1097-1099/pd/6011933">Biology 1099</a>, reads, "Are dinosaurs alive today? Scientists are becoming more convinced of their existence. Have you heard of the 'Loch Ness Monster' in Scotland? 'Nessie' for short has been recorded on sonar from a small submarine, described by eyewitnesses, and photographed by others. Nessie appears to be a plesiosaur."<br />
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<em><span style="color: blue;">Scientists?</span></em><br />
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Starting in the fall, thousands of schoolchildren will receive publicly funded vouchers to attend private schools, some of which are religious. Religious schools in Louisiana will receive public funding as <a href="http://yhoo.it/MTuR7n">part of a push</a> from Louisiana's governor, Bobby Jindal, to move millions of tax dollars to cover tuition for private schools, including small bible-based church schools. Money will fund schools that have "bible-based math books" and biology texts that refute evolution.</div>
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<em><span style="color: blue;">Bible-based math book sample question. Q: If Judas left Jerusalem walking at 2 cubits per hour, how many hours would it take him to reach Nazareth? A: Arithmetic will not save you from eternal damnation. </span></em><br />
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At Eternity Christian Academy, pastor-turned-principal Marie Carrier says that the her first through eighth-grade students learn at their own pace from Christian workbooks. The beginning science text explains "<a href="http://yhoo.it/MTuR7n">what God made</a>" on each of the six days of creation. Evolution is not taught.</div>
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Carrier said, "We try to stay away from all those things that might confuse our children." She hopes to secure enrollment of 135 voucher students for the 2012-2013 school year. According to the website <a href="http://www.salon.com/2012/06/19/shocking_christian_school_textbooks_salpart/singleton/">Salon</a>, the school currently has just 38 students.</div>
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<em><span style="color: blue;">Evidence-based arguments can be very confusing.</span></em><br />
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Whether this gambit will help move Louisiana from the bottom of math and science rankings in the country is unclear. A <a href="http://blogs.agu.org/wildwildscience/2011/07/06/best-worst-states-for-math-education/">2011 study</a> of how well primary education prepares students for engineering careers had Louisiana third from the bottom, with only West Virginia and Mississippi performing worse.<br />
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<em><span style="color: blue;">Well, waddya know. Lousiana students rank at the bottom of math and science? Can't imagine why. It might be because they not only discourage the concept of evolution/science, they ignore it completely. Go forth, young people, Bible in hand, to spread the word and smite the wicked/non-Christians. That is, in between your shifts at Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, there aren't an abundance of many Bible-based questions on the SAT. For now...</span></em>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-4584640562910005192012-02-13T13:14:00.000-08:002012-02-13T13:39:23.266-08:00Nothing to Write AboutSo I decided to see what would happen if, with absolutely nothing to write about, I tried writing anyway. It's been difficult to get into politics in general and the Republican nominee nonsense outside of watching the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">occasional</span> Daily Show or Colbert Report. Maybe it's the absurdity of it all. Maybe it's these men (and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">occasional</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">whacky</span> Tea Party woman) up on high trying to hitch their carts to the star of whatever their <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">advisors</span> tell them is the public hot-button issue of the time. Or moment, actually. Maybe it's Newt Gingrich trying to pull himself off as anti-establishment. Maybe it's Rick Perry and his complete lack of intelligence. Maybe it's Mitt Romney and his thousand yard stare and utter disdain for those less fortunate. It's a circus act.<br /><br />Getting back to Newt...Hey, listen, They're all phony. From as far left as Brother <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sharpton</span> to as far right as Sister <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Palin</span> - its a bunch of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">malarkey</span>, a cult of personality <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">whos</span> shallowness is only outdone by the hubris in which these talking heads speak to us in bullet points. Anyway, Newt. So now Mr. insider-lobbyist/consultant-beltway-slut would have us believe that he is now a man of the people, a Washington outsider who could rule unfettered by the constraints of years of complete <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">saturation</span> in Washington politics, both as a politician and a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">consultant</span>. Yes, Mr. Smith is come, ready to shake the foundations of the establishment and reclaim the country for white Christians everywhere. So, what's worse? The fact that he has the gall to put on this facade, or that anyone actually votes for him?<br /><br />Well that's where we are now. It's not so much who to vote for but who NOT to vote for. Anybody but Obama. Even of it means a snake like Gingrich. Fantastic.AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-65364607095621547332012-01-26T14:30:00.000-08:002012-01-26T14:32:42.779-08:00Let the Wookie Win.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFPAEMNpL9SnGhIA0u5D6ddMx2R5m5Bg9W0xkb9K_4itn0p_q4MMi1o7vkIOW63dauVGRVNcV6_WjNUBQymaJHB7a3jHuW-Yo1c6za0cAgpQ8E8T9sLzgxgWmpyk3XzEyHgOxKFHqDMsL/s1600/pope.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 274px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702072249177948130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFPAEMNpL9SnGhIA0u5D6ddMx2R5m5Bg9W0xkb9K_4itn0p_q4MMi1o7vkIOW63dauVGRVNcV6_WjNUBQymaJHB7a3jHuW-Yo1c6za0cAgpQ8E8T9sLzgxgWmpyk3XzEyHgOxKFHqDMsL/s400/pope.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-80727022464536200082011-11-16T17:32:00.000-08:002011-11-16T17:50:07.701-08:00OWSDaddy is back. While watching the evening news, I was able to get a screen cap of this OWS protester as she slipped one past the goalie...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvS5qfgp-nQxq79s0obmTySCYYzO5G73pmisMebMpyaI0TuSyGcVVnlW_MkKec7p1MzfFMLnsQUso-R9t4sBBIV0bPkDRIAAEvImq46fl_S7nV1lUJ105XKaCS3ccOjCtMIaMKpDSi3mm3/s1600/Photo_6308BB33-CF01-A4F9-DD57-1E73995A91FB.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675771979554490434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvS5qfgp-nQxq79s0obmTySCYYzO5G73pmisMebMpyaI0TuSyGcVVnlW_MkKec7p1MzfFMLnsQUso-R9t4sBBIV0bPkDRIAAEvImq46fl_S7nV1lUJ105XKaCS3ccOjCtMIaMKpDSi3mm3/s400/Photo_6308BB33-CF01-A4F9-DD57-1E73995A91FB.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div>I cannot begin to impart upon the reader the in-studio anchor's absolute shock, panic and inabilty to improv during this live broadcast. Happy Joy.<br /><br /><br /><div></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-63945075031294393012011-11-10T02:47:00.000-08:002011-11-19T09:28:23.491-08:00Facebook is Evil<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAj9mu_BC2XFnH5dT-m6BHTSKthrEbwTDTRzZZ6pRTdXZBpmcrin9RLT4u5ZL-pKQxwAR7IDZDVFREAzg-aynwQdyXcyf1zbPCYxovnbm6f2s_qZiMFwI2K6DcB8pQwAn5RMt-7mGXZgo/s1600/facebook-big-brother.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676759755662792274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAj9mu_BC2XFnH5dT-m6BHTSKthrEbwTDTRzZZ6pRTdXZBpmcrin9RLT4u5ZL-pKQxwAR7IDZDVFREAzg-aynwQdyXcyf1zbPCYxovnbm6f2s_qZiMFwI2K6DcB8pQwAn5RMt-7mGXZgo/s320/facebook-big-brother.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#000066;"><em></em></span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#000066;"><em>One need not delve to deep in to the internet to find examples of people screwing themselves by posting one thing or another on facebook. This one stood out this morning. From AP...</em></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><blockquote>A New Jersey administrative law judge has ruled that a first-grade teacher<br />who wrote that she was a "warden for future criminals" on Facebook earlier this<br />year should lose her tenured job.<br />The state education commissioner now has<br />45 days to accept, reject or modify the decision regarding Jennifer O'Brien.<br />The Paterson teacher posted her remark to 333 friends on March 28. But it<br />was forwarded and several parents saw it.<br />O'Brien's lawyer, Nancy Oxfeld,<br />tells The Record newspaper (http://bit.ly/v8ERLR) that her client will appeal<br />the ruling, which was made public Tuesday. O'Brien had testified that she wrote<br />the post in exasperation because several students kept disrupting her lessons<br />and one boy had recently hit her.<br />But the judge called O'Brien's conduct<br />"inexcusable."<br /><br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br /></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-14075493815418101802011-07-01T06:46:00.001-07:002011-07-01T06:48:04.707-07:00Body Double 4<em><span style="color:#000066;">I totally can't take credit for this one, but wanted to share it anyway...</span></em><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3Pu2obKdz8FEc0gRooQBonIhFTnPwKcUxPMsCKBUg96OnEncoo0ocQh5SavqtS0mQ2sdLyR1GMVYR-lkT9Xl5202QAvxylbTClLhtqriVyiJ8X-kNiQVyhJIHAVS4Kz2XeCMG5Dipgqm/s1600/nancy-grace-totally-looks-like-jareth-the-golbin-king.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624380049475661618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3Pu2obKdz8FEc0gRooQBonIhFTnPwKcUxPMsCKBUg96OnEncoo0ocQh5SavqtS0mQ2sdLyR1GMVYR-lkT9Xl5202QAvxylbTClLhtqriVyiJ8X-kNiQVyhJIHAVS4Kz2XeCMG5Dipgqm/s400/nancy-grace-totally-looks-like-jareth-the-golbin-king.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-76276767291127499292011-06-19T19:08:00.000-07:002011-06-19T19:18:39.451-07:00Beach<u><span style="color:#0066cc;"></span></u><em><span style="color:#000066;">There are many pros and cons to living on the east coast. The greatest pro is living 5 minutes from the ocean. It as a pro that the better half and I take advantage of as often as possible. Take, for example, yesterday - breakfast on the beach...<br /><u><span style="color:#0066cc;"></span></u></span></em><br /><u><span style="color:#0066cc;"></span></u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7_fqTcs53vrwpGm-ei12wNF_wJ_monIB_hstpH7oYMFkH3OsI-jwl7UYCB8Rrf2ixMqkmrUNYdD8_1ODK6NHolmtQRIPRl3UpWGwq4UV_53htNtds2kf4wZ9rPNLjRXnYFKyO8axYNky/s1600/043.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620119174922965922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7_fqTcs53vrwpGm-ei12wNF_wJ_monIB_hstpH7oYMFkH3OsI-jwl7UYCB8Rrf2ixMqkmrUNYdD8_1ODK6NHolmtQRIPRl3UpWGwq4UV_53htNtds2kf4wZ9rPNLjRXnYFKyO8axYNky/s400/043.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXrV9f2JuAYMnqRpXbvJd5aYTh77vKq0fD5Gsf8SCDjLqFl7JnbusN3W2mOC2hFq7yUHKD4UQvrG5Eib7nbzbDpd4R7ZGe9zBy7Kc4IUZtUzJjnu2foI4fTVZnCqXByIs0sizG0gaOM2b/s1600/041.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620118991005326850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXrV9f2JuAYMnqRpXbvJd5aYTh77vKq0fD5Gsf8SCDjLqFl7JnbusN3W2mOC2hFq7yUHKD4UQvrG5Eib7nbzbDpd4R7ZGe9zBy7Kc4IUZtUzJjnu2foI4fTVZnCqXByIs0sizG0gaOM2b/s400/041.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-88250096136671080192011-06-15T14:06:00.001-07:002011-06-15T14:13:09.343-07:00Body Double III<span style="color:#000066;"><em>This is fun! Next up...</em><br /><br /></span><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbmPZyu3qAMK1_41BZ042f0FUkGt96tECWtlN4oDSfIQU-DsY2GQnKNy6rgVt9-CsXExoZ0rKV-Vc8tp-hcjFj6qegAD6v70aoQRt8Ibo3wLkkP6D4r8vlc-4AZFEXOSJnCOIgBTgNdvD/s1600/flock.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 285px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618556200689156658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbmPZyu3qAMK1_41BZ042f0FUkGt96tECWtlN4oDSfIQU-DsY2GQnKNy6rgVt9-CsXExoZ0rKV-Vc8tp-hcjFj6qegAD6v70aoQRt8Ibo3wLkkP6D4r8vlc-4AZFEXOSJnCOIgBTgNdvD/s400/flock.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;">Calista Flockheart (Pictured Here with Hubby, Han Solo)</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#000066;">and...</span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNegXUnh_OmsPiqkdrdWx2f_qwv3lMepRUoj3lzsSdBMVxScUZToe1zmIGb-O-HbPLoiEtig88yqntTV1uZQ-REzZcxlkN_44VOecj8Y_x7gYYAgHvmAkqkD0kwlHTcrVNqDbZjZtkQehz/s1600/joker.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 191px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 263px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618556085817110722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNegXUnh_OmsPiqkdrdWx2f_qwv3lMepRUoj3lzsSdBMVxScUZToe1zmIGb-O-HbPLoiEtig88yqntTV1uZQ-REzZcxlkN_44VOecj8Y_x7gYYAgHvmAkqkD0kwlHTcrVNqDbZjZtkQehz/s400/joker.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;">Jack Nicholson as the Joker</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#000066;">Sorry folks, I calls 'em as I sees 'em.<br /></span></em><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-29499675952039522462011-06-14T13:50:00.000-07:002011-06-14T13:54:36.334-07:00Body Double II<em><span style="color:#000066;">Next up...</span></em><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdtbxJYCE3E3xt2vmJKX6ZUV470HwYpb8Of1ytBXrVwxKPHsiQyeRKOJjvTZsGls0icF1G9xplTfko6zqmKABhnDQLqzcWIIjQ0whhmjef9_d5Unr_gw6jF-hMCuJkpVW5I-DKhm42Yh0/s1600/bach.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 183px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618180925697080418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdtbxJYCE3E3xt2vmJKX6ZUV470HwYpb8Of1ytBXrVwxKPHsiQyeRKOJjvTZsGls0icF1G9xplTfko6zqmKABhnDQLqzcWIIjQ0whhmjef9_d5Unr_gw6jF-hMCuJkpVW5I-DKhm42Yh0/s400/bach.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">Rep. Michelle Bachmann</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#000066;">and...</span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="color:#000066;"></span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwmUqs0qrYjcJsFdc9WNmG814GCpSqbEuiWlflGr6L8BBNxPsqOquxDF1LH6_cskrMzQWP4Jwgsi1PjXLRz755v8ArOVfYzysNPvwhP69i1thcRdrNhIWA94lKQ8ZCWK7IGs_Fdzj19uU/s1600/borg.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 192px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618180821338631554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwmUqs0qrYjcJsFdc9WNmG814GCpSqbEuiWlflGr6L8BBNxPsqOquxDF1LH6_cskrMzQWP4Jwgsi1PjXLRz755v8ArOVfYzysNPvwhP69i1thcRdrNhIWA94lKQ8ZCWK7IGs_Fdzj19uU/s400/borg.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">Borg Queen</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#000066;"><em>Too mean?<br /></em></span><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-12795872748750049752011-05-31T14:24:00.000-07:002011-05-31T14:29:20.210-07:00Body Double<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic;">A new feature which showcases people whom I feel share a striking and sometimes disturbing resemblance. First up...</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWNT2jYWzHAR0IObFH4MQajidoBspBAXP4bKC5gmIlgE83RZ5I_dZVvv-wnVfX-4ej0fmg-nH7Ewz0fPJXndQaaqxDvTBmuzLLweSTqhQJmdkHVhpv0oKX4aHEx2CjbyUQsFMuqxmOHpU/s1600/marypat.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWNT2jYWzHAR0IObFH4MQajidoBspBAXP4bKC5gmIlgE83RZ5I_dZVvv-wnVfX-4ej0fmg-nH7Ewz0fPJXndQaaqxDvTBmuzLLweSTqhQJmdkHVhpv0oKX4aHEx2CjbyUQsFMuqxmOHpU/s400/marypat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612994664013356338" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mary Pat Christie, Wife of NJ Gov. Chris Christie</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">and...</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_AYxe3cPToMDJKmh1oBQvTKVoGqGZ3brI2aqee2KM_WX7Kip-g6eI9vUuk3ETNvjV_VT1kNaTjFB078dBaQhVUmppTgidC1zA2aE_ePzWF8CL7r6RYXH-Ip3cphUpQOkRnkxbLjWTjWO/s1600/chet.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 336px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ_AYxe3cPToMDJKmh1oBQvTKVoGqGZ3brI2aqee2KM_WX7Kip-g6eI9vUuk3ETNvjV_VT1kNaTjFB078dBaQhVUmppTgidC1zA2aE_ePzWF8CL7r6RYXH-Ip3cphUpQOkRnkxbLjWTjWO/s400/chet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612994775584730482" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chet from </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Weird Science</span></span><br /></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-2043847981797157902011-05-27T02:17:00.000-07:002011-05-27T03:18:25.067-07:00Rate the Doomsday Scenario III<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpoHS3r6jDKKuaR9gtVnEAiKU1YMzxrb2K7FZh6dy8wlN8KlNKMxfafs7MqpFRUMSnsAbLC6JH5j46xE_iJd82VqzE6pY3JYZCz0mS4ZsiLI7FGmAFhKTK49XwHb7R5ORtrjcKBGrUYOQ/s1600/roomba1b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinpoHS3r6jDKKuaR9gtVnEAiKU1YMzxrb2K7FZh6dy8wlN8KlNKMxfafs7MqpFRUMSnsAbLC6JH5j46xE_iJd82VqzE6pY3JYZCz0mS4ZsiLI7FGmAFhKTK49XwHb7R5ORtrjcKBGrUYOQ/s400/roomba1b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611338249887497698" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Scenario</span>: </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rise of the machines!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Overview:</span> Humanity succeeds in creating Artificial Intelligence, only to have the ungrateful bastards turn on us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pros:</span> Less Traffic<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Cons: </span>Having your X-Box chasing you around your home. Noob.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Reality Check:</span> While probably more likely than aliens attacking, I doubt a scenario would arise involving Austrian weightlifters throwing around witty one-liners while time traveling and chasing/protecting various Conners. I think that an AI would become sentient without all of those tribalistic characteristics that make humans so lovable and eager to get along. We probably wouldn't have to worry about them immediately looking to "terminate" us. Unless we kept poking them with sticks. That's really annoying.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Can we stop it:</span> Maybe. AI is an inevitability. It's the next step in evolution. The most likely scenario, I believe, is that there would be some sort of merging of the human and AI intelligence. It doesn't necessarily have to be nasty. The great Dr. Michio Kaku shares some of his thoughts on the subject and how a nasty scenario may be preveneted (see below)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Rating</span>: 5/10.<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PW8rgKLPHMg?fs=1" allowfullscreen="true" width="520" height="350"></embed><br /><a href="http://www.streaming-madness.net/" title="Streaming-Madness.net - Watch Top Documentaries Online." target="_blank">Streaming-Madness.net – Watch Top Documentaries Online.</a><br /></span>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-89885057011748237892011-05-26T16:30:00.001-07:002011-05-26T16:30:43.427-07:00Lazy<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">An oldie...</span><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WxXszzQQxCA?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WxXszzQQxCA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-81950839260352891162011-05-24T18:02:00.001-07:002011-05-24T18:47:27.707-07:00Rate the Doomsday Scenarios II<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Christ I hate this template. But the last one wasn't working out, and I didn't have the time to browse for a better one today. Anyway, onward with the doomsday scenarios. Let's get this one out of the way...</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirW6YUCaHal-drypqP5q1uYACWvL9GVGooeif153JZllDlR9w7F7sbwTQ0WLlK4xdO_ueJ3_NSk4ldORad-V07mVn0RgMo9ZKl-GVJVOmp369h-y0EjYNy1vWMyf0xveBkE_6mmY_jjbv6/s1600/mork.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirW6YUCaHal-drypqP5q1uYACWvL9GVGooeif153JZllDlR9w7F7sbwTQ0WLlK4xdO_ueJ3_NSk4ldORad-V07mVn0RgMo9ZKl-GVJVOmp369h-y0EjYNy1vWMyf0xveBkE_6mmY_jjbv6/s400/mork.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610454160209566178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scenario</span>: </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Alien Invasion</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Overview:</span> The question of whether or not there is other life in the universe has been answered. In spades. Their giant, 15 mile-wide metallic emissaries of death are perched above every major city on the planet just waiting for the word from the mother ship to unleash fiery death upon humanity. And all the puppies, too!</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Checkmate.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pros:</span> Justification of the SETI program.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Cons: </span>Anal probes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Reality Check:</span> Stop with the nonsense. If an advanced civilization somehow manages to make it to earth, it ain't gonna be with giant mother ships made of anything remotely resembling metal. Forget the impossible physics behind it, it's just so hack. No, sorry, there isn't going to be any dog fighting be</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">tween advanced alien ships and drunken cropdusters. Yeah, that's right, I'm talking to you, "Independence Day." The only way that movie would be plausible is if it is revealed that the aliens are actually a bunch of rebellious alien junior-high school kids who took grampa's old clunker out for an unsupervised joyride and ended up in our neck of the woods.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Can we stop it:</span> No. If they come, that means they didn't destroy each other in their early industrial period. If they're still assholes despite having achieved such a high technological state, I'm sure they would have a little switch that would simply turn our brains off. Assholes.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Rating: 1/10. NaNu NaNu.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-33954060411833049992011-05-23T10:54:00.000-07:002011-05-23T11:12:16.951-07:00Rate the Doomsday Scenario<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtUoZ2cdU7EtmnWwQoqgHSgEGDAVSRpxbXxNug51fGbh1TlErniyYOM9cXOXc-by7iwt0aKjLNKdDk-gt0IrqNBg12tSplgDlTEnO5GZbiiebxnUJRrmv3Zn6ota9YSZcb8TKG9mwT2Iu/s1600/SterlingWaldman.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtUoZ2cdU7EtmnWwQoqgHSgEGDAVSRpxbXxNug51fGbh1TlErniyYOM9cXOXc-by7iwt0aKjLNKdDk-gt0IrqNBg12tSplgDlTEnO5GZbiiebxnUJRrmv3Zn6ota9YSZcb8TKG9mwT2Iu/s400/SterlingWaldman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609974911081115282" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bozhe</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"> moi! have I been posting a lot about God, religion, the rapture and what-not. This isn't surprising to me, especially the rapture part. It's not a question of belief. It's a question of annoyance. Allow me to explain.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">I've always been obsessed with doomsday scenarios. Not judgment-day-rapture-repent! </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">horsecrap</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">, I mean things that could actually happen. As a kid it was nuclear war. Growing up in the early '80's I spent many a sleepless night waiting for the bombs to fall. Any time a test of the Emergency Broadcast System or the giant "Special Report" flashed on the TV screen, my stomach dropped and my heart raced. And when the made-for TV "The Day After" came out? </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">fuhgeddabout</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"> it. I was inconsolable. What can I say, I was a nervous kid.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">With the fall of the Soviet Union and the onset of puberty, I suppose I grew out of that fear and daily obsession. But I still spent plenty of time worrying about things that could REALLY happen.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">And that brings me back to the annoyance part. I don't for one second believe that the world will end because some crackpot read about in a book of fables, but it does bother me that said crackpot receives so much attention. It was everywhere. Even on the </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">friggin</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">' </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Mets</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">-Yankees Broadcast Friday night. [If you don't know who John Sterling and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Suzyn</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Waldman</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"> are, count yourself among the truly blessed and fortunate.]</span><br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">John Sterling: That's it from Yankee Stadium. We'll see you tomorrow, first pitch 7:05. That is, IF there's a tomorrow. <span style="font-style: italic;">-chortle, chortle-</span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Suzyn</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Waldman</span>: Oh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Jawn</span>...</blockquote><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">I find it immeasurably annoying that so much attention is heaped upon this heap of crap and zero attention is paid to actual dangers to human civilization. Heck, It was </span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);" href="http://annoyingjoe.blogspot.com/2009/08/killer-asteroids.html">one of the first things I ever blogged about</a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"> back in Aug., 2009.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">So what am I going to do about this? I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to BLOG about it. That's right. I am going to present different doomsday scenarios that are actually plausible and rate them on whatever categories I want. I'll do this until it sort of fizzles out and I find something else to impotently rail against. God I hope Michelle Bachmann runs...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Anywho, I give you...Rate The Doomsday Scenario, part the first.</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4CSRmjy8QFu394Ya7Ko6Ekoc0kLehjtaQG71JNPTA1fXZtqFc-CswljIdzfrMPHfuvgObKfEncMcS4YAw-K2SW9g7M5UDzwHJbMMufMwFYCxGZXhEqhfSDJaGfddQNSeFPIDVYy8uebP/s1600/temple.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 342px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4CSRmjy8QFu394Ya7Ko6Ekoc0kLehjtaQG71JNPTA1fXZtqFc-CswljIdzfrMPHfuvgObKfEncMcS4YAw-K2SW9g7M5UDzwHJbMMufMwFYCxGZXhEqhfSDJaGfddQNSeFPIDVYy8uebP/s400/temple.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609971710769306466" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Scenario: </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Killer Asteroid.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Overview:</span> The intergalactic game of billiards continues as it has for billions of years as a several miles wide hunk of iron slams into a planet. Only this time countless of conscious beings will be snuffed out of existence. And all the puppies, too!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pros:</span> Those lucky enough to be directly under the rock will be instantly atomized.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Cons: </span>Those left behind will eventually starve to death as the ensuing cloud of debris will encircle the earth, blocking the sun and, subsequently, photosynthesis. Well, at least after the canned peaches run out.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Reality Check:</span> It's only a matter of time. It's happened before, it'll happen again.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Can we stop it:</span> There are plenty of theoretical techniques that could change the course of an asteroid enough to miss. Unfortunately, these techniques rely upon a big time advance notice. We're talking years, not next Teusday.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Rating: 8/10. cuz I say so.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-60967793178729850952011-05-23T07:55:00.000-07:002011-05-23T07:59:17.204-07:00God Interview<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-style: italic;">God attempts to shed some light on Saturday's failed Rapture...</span></span><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="384" height="256"><param name="movie" value="http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf"><param name="flashvars" value="key=ad5cd5d715"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><embed flashvars="key=ad5cd5d715" allowfullscreen="true" quality="high" src="http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="384" height="256"></embed></object><div style="text-align: center; width: 384px;"><a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/ad5cd5d715/god-reschesules-rapture" title="from Antonio Sabato Jr, Janina Gavankar, Kyle Bornheimer, Derek Baynham, humans are funny, Kelly May, and Titlewave Creative">God Reschedules Rapture</a> from <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/antonio_sabato_jr">Antonio Sabato Jr</a></div><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-style: italic;">He's right. We don't do anything cool anymore.</span></span>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-49727402989493944102011-05-21T15:02:00.000-07:002011-05-21T15:05:57.133-07:00Gotcha!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGSpxea736CEWkWT6bxPAT02jJImrd3nRHZJUV8GCDxkCoUvTRBEt_VQ9gq8QVDYR42r2JIRyb1ZO4ZM-uHlOCqtjrphm1mlezOhWHZyF785uuD_GMIETAD08S5MiPBhpy2uUu__tmAoU/s1600/jesus_thumbs_up.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGSpxea736CEWkWT6bxPAT02jJImrd3nRHZJUV8GCDxkCoUvTRBEt_VQ9gq8QVDYR42r2JIRyb1ZO4ZM-uHlOCqtjrphm1mlezOhWHZyF785uuD_GMIETAD08S5MiPBhpy2uUu__tmAoU/s400/jesus_thumbs_up.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609293862125730994" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday, May 21st, 6:05pm Eastern Time.....<br /><br />Damn it. Still here.<br /></span></span>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-31012755288133044042011-05-16T18:15:00.000-07:002011-05-16T18:57:31.641-07:00It's Official!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbX1WrIspm64zcCOidCM6o1JIVL8ZVCQ7RrZfSnvSdoopbLG61PtjaTFHwl5KJ4UN_nR2NCoqIWFTHYLAxCTc_JWb2L-wmXKZYlxuxP6pieMUuETYMjYqQijuvsjkykjVs08QfnE7YkCd/s1600/hawk.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbX1WrIspm64zcCOidCM6o1JIVL8ZVCQ7RrZfSnvSdoopbLG61PtjaTFHwl5KJ4UN_nR2NCoqIWFTHYLAxCTc_JWb2L-wmXKZYlxuxP6pieMUuETYMjYqQijuvsjkykjVs08QfnE7YkCd/s400/hawk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607488003947557714" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">There ain't no God. Well, at least according to renowned physicist and ne'er- do- well Stephen Hawking. The good Dr. gave an interview to the Guardian recently. Here's an excerpt, from the</span> <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/stephen-hawking-interview-there-is-no-heaven">Guardian...</a><br /><br /><p><strong></strong></p><blockquote><p><strong>What is the value in knowing "Why are we here?"</strong></p><p>The universe is governed by science. But science tells us that we can't solve the equations, directly in the abstract. We need to use the effective theory of Darwinian natural selection of those societies most likely to survive. We assign them higher value.</p><p><strong>You've said there is no reason to invoke God to light the blue touchpaper. Is our existence all down to luck?</strong></p><p>Science predicts that many different kinds of universe will be spontaneously created out of nothing. It is a matter of chance which we are in.</p><p><strong>So here we are. What should we do?</strong></p><p>We should seek the greatest value of our action.</p><p><strong>You had a health scare and spent time in hospital in 2009. What, if anything, do you fear about death?</strong></p><p>I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first. I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.</p><p><strong>What are the things you find most beautiful in science?</strong></p><p>Science is beautiful when it makes simple explanations of phenomena or connections between different observations. Examples include the double helix in biology, and the fundamental equations of physics."</p></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Sartre would be proud. A meaningless existence does not need to be without meaning. An acceptance of the void gives one the freedom to be.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">I am a stout atheist. But there is something to be said about a Universe that forms within itself a consciousness that allows It to contemplate Itself. Chance? Probably. But what a wondrous chance it is.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Should anyone proclaim a monopoly on absolute Truth? Should an ant claim to understand the inner workings of a flashlight? No. That would be a foolish (albeit gregarious) ant. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Don't tell me that your God is the one true way and that only those of a certain socio-economic background will experience salvation. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Please, also, don't tell me with absolute certitude that this mortal coil is simply a matter of happenstance, and that the pinnacle of human thought and achievement is anywhere close to understanding the flashlight.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"></span>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-9026073270981881242011-05-13T13:28:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:32:12.773-07:00Crazy Racist Guy<span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Check out this video taken on the 6 train in NYC. I apologize for the angle. Warning: Graphic language and hilarious nudity.</span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SUYYeS7gA40" allowfullscreen="" width="480" frameborder="0" height="390"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Used to be, one could be a YouTube sensation simply by getting kicked in the nuts or by having one's cat get stuck in a ceiling fan. It makes one shudder to think what's next...<br /></span>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-322041875674092522011-05-10T14:49:00.000-07:002011-05-10T16:44:38.014-07:00Of Derek and Uranium<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzU6VHKwlCBr1plGknyY3qxj2xuIYpoNebxlnAHcqTz2nvBEjcBOyAFNMiAly_vOhmGqbjwiE_UEg_bXVIUdKMFZnHE4EkCCDQNR2cwVYLzle4uRa-Qbd2qqFtOC56qdVJnq9lzgmgKzA/s1600/derek+jeter.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzU6VHKwlCBr1plGknyY3qxj2xuIYpoNebxlnAHcqTz2nvBEjcBOyAFNMiAly_vOhmGqbjwiE_UEg_bXVIUdKMFZnHE4EkCCDQNR2cwVYLzle4uRa-Qbd2qqFtOC56qdVJnq9lzgmgKzA/s400/derek+jeter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605235468318790418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">I would never define people as a whole as a "big picture" group. No, we are a reactionary lot. Forget "what have you done for me lately?" Try "what have you done for me in the past five minutes." Because those past five minutes will define everything there is to know about a certain person or subject.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">I live in the vast NY suburbs. As such I am privy to an incredibly diverse set of AM radio options. However, you'd be surprised how, after awhile, these options all seem to morph together into one steady drone. Seven conservative talk-show hosts repeating the same playbook. Traffic updates on the tens, although the traffic reports should be reduced to, simply, "everywhere." Stock updates. Curtis Freakin' Sliwa (don't ask.) Commercials. Commercials. Commercials. Commercials. And Sports Talk Radio!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">I love Sports Talk Radio, and not only because I love sports, I love the callers on which Sports Talk Radio depends. Nowhere, and I mean NOWHERE can one find the type of reactionary behavior of which I speak. Sports Talk Radio is THEE microcosm of the human condition. Hear me out.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">Enter Derek Jeter of the New Yankees; 5 time World Series Champion, World Series MVP, four Gold-Gloves, multiple all-star appearances, Banger of the Stars, most recently Minka Kelly....</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlDQVqcoppbvcKojcdeNhs5uCgrN2ZGbsVaZKdau0hyphenhyphenSiE84BiaKBLKkIqrpuvucVgF6W1yc8ZXVoMtRznDPFFbmzDblQj1QKed6n1DsTpNBeuU-1C5LAJJD0_bZf-okJE6A9SNepnHTb/s1600/minka-kelly_85543.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 126px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlDQVqcoppbvcKojcdeNhs5uCgrN2ZGbsVaZKdau0hyphenhyphenSiE84BiaKBLKkIqrpuvucVgF6W1yc8ZXVoMtRznDPFFbmzDblQj1QKed6n1DsTpNBeuU-1C5LAJJD0_bZf-okJE6A9SNepnHTb/s200/minka-kelly_85543.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605220524767363282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Now Batting</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">and all around perfect human being. Well, Jeter, before Sunday, was hitting a measly .256 with zero HRs. Let's go to the phones.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Ya know, nowt fuh nuttin, maybe, ya know, he's gettin' old. no disrespect awe nuttin."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Jeetah couldn't hit the side of uh bawn wit a beach bawl."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"He's swingin' like a rusty gate ova heeya."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Sorry, it's hard to capture, phonetically, the essence of the NY accent. Anyway, this is all well and good. Jeter is a lifetime .313 hitter. Jeter is pushing 37 and plays maybe the most demanding position outside of catcher while hitting 1 or 2. It isn't unfair to question his viability in the long term. And these comments of his apparent demise have come about over the first 30 games. Optimistic feelings have gradually turned into legitimate doubts. And then Sunday, May 8. Derek Jeter goes 4 for 6 with 2HRs. Let's go to the phones...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"I knew, I'm tellin ya, awe boys back!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"This is it! numba 28 [number of world series the Yankees would have won should they win this year] heeya we come. Screw the sawx!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Yestahday rivaled the birth of my first bown son and the ressah rection [the caller does believe that resurrection is, in fact, two words] of awe lowd and savya Jesus Christ."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">There you go. Even though these 6 at bats represent less then 5% of Jeter's performance over the 2011 season, and the 2HRs he hit represent the only two HR's he's hit all year and 40% of the extra base hits he's hit this year, all doubt had been cast aside. All realistic questions of his age and performance related decline be damned! He was El Kapitan once again.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">Enter the Fukushima Plant. Please, if you would, from the</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/world/asia/11japan.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto">NY Times</a>. <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">It's a tragic situation. But to completely restructure your country's energy policy because of a freak accident that has resulted in relatively little consequence? Unfortunately, providing unlimited energy to millions of people comes at a certain amount of risk. Ask coal miners. Or off-shore oil-rig workers. Or every single American that has died in the Middle East ensuring, if nothing else, that America has open and continual access to oil. Let's go to the phones...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Nowt fuh nuttin' but newclea powah ain't safe"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"I don't give a rat's ass if dehs ove 400 hunnerd plants operatin' wowldwide. Aintchoo seen da news?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"I don't want my kid glowin ova heeya. Fuhgeddaboutit!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-weight: bold;">3 months later, [for the sake of argument and my silly blog,] The U.S shuts down all of it's nuclear power plants in response to the reactionary fervor over nuclear safety, lets go to the phones...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"If I can't get my friggin Gowge Fowman Grill runnin' I'm gonna busta head."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Yoo got any idea da last time I looked at intanet pawn?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Yankees awe on in 5 minutes. Grams, stawt pedalin!"</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-52082191751114539572011-05-06T15:00:00.000-07:002011-05-06T15:30:32.065-07:00Free Fun Friday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54XDuNRR9jvVC8G0uRr9m9eruYjnjbDXNBI6M3nCFS1Xork8gWtRMbcSUaFSnHCI2RrvGyBN8dYzMXgg2pm5xLCCpnZ742OPZjGcdlC9ZF9Zddh68NZ2bj-3vSK7s0lOEiPjnZHG_NS7q/s1600/space.jpg"><br /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Geek Alert! Looking for something free and fun to do tonight, or any night?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Look for the International Space Station! </span><br /><br />Um, AnnoyingJoe, isn't it, like, y'know. in space and whatnot?<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic;">Sure is! But thanks to a fairly good sized reflective surface and an active, mediocre, middle-aged yellow sun, you can see it right from your own back yard. Weather permitting.</span><br /><br />Gee whiz. Where do I look?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Up! Well first follow this little linky-link riiiiight.</span>...........<a style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);" href="http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/">HERE!</a> <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Then enter in the information as to your location as requested by the website. If you can't find your EXACT town, don't worry. Just pick the town closest, it shouldn't make too much of a difference. You should see something like this....</span><br /><br /><table width="600" align="CENTER"><tbody><tr><td width="84"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">SATELLITE</span></center></td> <td width="150"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">LOCAL</span></center></td> <td width="72"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">DURATION</span></center></td> <td width="80"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">MAX ELEV</span></center></td> <td width="100"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">APPROACH</span></center></td> <td width="100"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">DEPARTURE</span></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="84"><center></center><br /></td> <td width="150"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">DATE/TIME</span></center></td> <td width="72"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">(MIN)</span></center></td> <td width="80"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">(DEG)</span></center></td> <td width="100"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">(DEG-DIR)</span></center></td> <td width="100"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">(DEG-DIR)</span></center></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="84"><center></center><br /></td> <td width="150"><center></center><br /></td> <td width="72"><center></center><br /></td> <td width="80"><center></center><br /></td> <td width="100"><center></center><br /></td> <td width="100"><center></center><br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table width="600" align="CENTER"><tbody><tr> <td width="84"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">ISS</span></center></td> <td width="150"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">Wed May 04/09:33 PM</span></td> <td width="72"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">2</span></center></td> <td width="80"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">20</span></center></td> <td width="100"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">11 above W</span></td> <td width="100"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">19 above SW</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="84"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">ISS</span></center></td> <td width="150"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">Thu May 05/08:23 PM</span></td> <td width="72"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">4</span></center></td> <td width="80"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">69</span></center></td> <td width="100"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">41 above WNW</span></td> <td width="100"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">10 above SE</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="84"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">ISS</span></center></td> <td width="150"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">Fri May 06/08:47 PM</span></td> <td width="72"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">3</span></center></td> <td width="80"><center><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">19</span></center></td> <td width="100"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">14 above W</span></td> <td width="100"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:-1;">11 above S</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic;">Now don't be intimidated. It's all very simple. ISS is, of course, the International Space Station. The time denotes the time in which the ISS is actually visible </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic;">The Duration measures how long the ISS will actually be visible from your location.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic;">MAX ELEV is the highest point the ISS will reach as it arcs through the sky. The zenith, directly overhead is 90 deg.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic;">APPROACH is the location at which the ISS initially becomes visible, and Departure is the location at which the ISS disappears from view.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); font-style: italic;">Here is an excellent diagram from NASA with an example of an ISS sighting...</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54XDuNRR9jvVC8G0uRr9m9eruYjnjbDXNBI6M3nCFS1Xork8gWtRMbcSUaFSnHCI2RrvGyBN8dYzMXgg2pm5xLCCpnZ742OPZjGcdlC9ZF9Zddh68NZ2bj-3vSK7s0lOEiPjnZHG_NS7q/s1600/space.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54XDuNRR9jvVC8G0uRr9m9eruYjnjbDXNBI6M3nCFS1Xork8gWtRMbcSUaFSnHCI2RrvGyBN8dYzMXgg2pm5xLCCpnZ742OPZjGcdlC9ZF9Zddh68NZ2bj-3vSK7s0lOEiPjnZHG_NS7q/s400/space.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603732553965417410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">There you have it. If you haven't yet seen the ISS flying overhead, I highly recommend it. It is surprisingly bright and smooth as it glides on by and is a testament to what we are capable of. And the kids love it! Happy viewing.</span>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924286896369249761.post-42361514484706762202011-05-06T14:14:00.000-07:002011-05-06T14:54:31.863-07:00HItchin' a Ride<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPF8JwKRkeoenw1cVmbap8M_FWJDolDhE1a0LZUFq3dmDsauIlBTn2oKlMQUGu7ixuyI8XEHvpGZab5q6e8vlDP9AtDZyxwODwf_lXwZS6xuPh0JEsepVVCgonqwPjcg4fT4ksOuiKdAPF/s1600/peewee.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPF8JwKRkeoenw1cVmbap8M_FWJDolDhE1a0LZUFq3dmDsauIlBTn2oKlMQUGu7ixuyI8XEHvpGZab5q6e8vlDP9AtDZyxwODwf_lXwZS6xuPh0JEsepVVCgonqwPjcg4fT4ksOuiKdAPF/s400/peewee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603724544000009682" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">The launching of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, initially scheduled for last week, has been pushed back to at least May 16th. The May 16 launch is supposed to be the US space program's second-to-last shuttle flight to the International Space Station, followed by Atlantis in June. After that, the 30-year-old shuttle program will end.</span> <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /><br />This launch has garnered some attention because the Endeavour is to be commanded by US astronaut Mark Kelly, whose wife, US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head sustained in January.</span> <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /><br />This sad coincidence aside, these last two launches are receiving little or no attention. Go ahead, turn on the news, open the paper, visit any of dozens of news/current event websites. I dare you to find one mention of the fact that, after the June Atlantis mission, the United States will have no means with which to launch American astronauts into space. </span> <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Well, no domestic means. There's always the Russians. That's right. We'll be hitch-hiking rides on Soyuz capsules to get to and from the International Space Station. Ironic that the entity that was the singular impetus and driving force of America's absolute dominance in space has morphed into a space taxi.</span> <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /><br />I know this hasn't been my best post. I just find it all sad and bittersweet. I also find it concerning and alarming that the we give such small regard and priority to an endeavor that I believe is the most important to the long term survival of our species. </span>AnnoyingJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08631223785386899100noreply@blogger.com1