From Reuters:
"A man who committed suicide after a traffic stop left a note and other evidence indicating he killed the husband and mother of a federal judge in Chicago."
Oh, come on. Does this sound fishy or what?
Read article
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Flash Fiction Challenge: Mind Over Matter
It was, the right fielder reflected, not a great day for baseball.
True, not a cloud was in the sky, but the temperature was below freezing.
Maybe the weather was why the attendance was so pitiful on Opening Day.
Or maybe fans found other things to do because the Tigers were a bad team and they were playing KC, another bad team.
A basketball player had thrown out the first pitch today.
A basketball player!
Now that the Pistons had won something, they were suddenly the sports ambassadors of town, weighing in on anything and everything. Prior to the game, Management had let some of the Pistons tour the clubhouse and give pep talks, like they knew anything about this game. The right fielder could only shake his head.
“You ever won anything, paps?” A scrawny teammate with skinhead looks tried to be conversational as they suited up. “Say, you got that edge... You been in the game, like, forever. So…” he dropped hid voice, “What’s the deal?
The veteran glared at him, then answered. “Forget the trainers. It’s about the mind. Use its inherent ability to heal yourself.”
He instantly realized that people were going to think he was a Wiccan, for Christ’s sake..
But instead of laughing uproariously and inviting the others to join in, the kid was nodding thoughtfully.
The sharp crack of the bat abruptly brought the fielder out of his musings. He wasn’t going to catch it. He had been leaning toward center. Desperately he made a leap and slipped on a patch of ice near foul territory. He went down hard, but he had fully extended with his glove. The ball unerringly sailed in. He raised his glove and the umpire pumped his fist -- OUT!
God bless Comerica! And the architects who had modeled the park after Yellowstone.
The center fielder trotted over and extended a hand to help him to his feet, “You okay, man? That mind over matter stuff, it looks painful, dog.”
“I’m not a dog, I’m a man,” the right fielder grumbled.
“Naw. You’re a Tiger!” The grinning kid held up his hand and the veteran obliged with a high five. Grudgingly, he smiled back.
One hundred sixty-one more games to go. The veteran pounded a fist into his glove and willed himself to make it through his sixteenth season.
True, not a cloud was in the sky, but the temperature was below freezing.
Maybe the weather was why the attendance was so pitiful on Opening Day.
Or maybe fans found other things to do because the Tigers were a bad team and they were playing KC, another bad team.
A basketball player had thrown out the first pitch today.
A basketball player!
Now that the Pistons had won something, they were suddenly the sports ambassadors of town, weighing in on anything and everything. Prior to the game, Management had let some of the Pistons tour the clubhouse and give pep talks, like they knew anything about this game. The right fielder could only shake his head.
“You ever won anything, paps?” A scrawny teammate with skinhead looks tried to be conversational as they suited up. “Say, you got that edge... You been in the game, like, forever. So…” he dropped hid voice, “What’s the deal?
The veteran glared at him, then answered. “Forget the trainers. It’s about the mind. Use its inherent ability to heal yourself.”
He instantly realized that people were going to think he was a Wiccan, for Christ’s sake..
But instead of laughing uproariously and inviting the others to join in, the kid was nodding thoughtfully.
The sharp crack of the bat abruptly brought the fielder out of his musings. He wasn’t going to catch it. He had been leaning toward center. Desperately he made a leap and slipped on a patch of ice near foul territory. He went down hard, but he had fully extended with his glove. The ball unerringly sailed in. He raised his glove and the umpire pumped his fist -- OUT!
God bless Comerica! And the architects who had modeled the park after Yellowstone.
The center fielder trotted over and extended a hand to help him to his feet, “You okay, man? That mind over matter stuff, it looks painful, dog.”
“I’m not a dog, I’m a man,” the right fielder grumbled.
“Naw. You’re a Tiger!” The grinning kid held up his hand and the veteran obliged with a high five. Grudgingly, he smiled back.
One hundred sixty-one more games to go. The veteran pounded a fist into his glove and willed himself to make it through his sixteenth season.
[I went over the word count by a lot. Ooops!]
This week's challenge:
- Maximum length: 250 words.
- The theme is: toil.
- The setting is: Detroit.
- Within the story, you must use this bit of text: its inherent ability.
Monday, March 07, 2005
BSG: Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down
Baltar's Cylon detection process is finished and President Roslyn, acting on the bogus tip given her by Leoben, wants the first subject to be Adama. He, of course, suggests that she should be the first test subject.
When an erratically flying Raider starts buzzing the fleet, Adama is discovered to be on a Raptor with no filed flight plan, further fueling Roslyn's suspicions about the commander. But when he returns to the Galactica, he brings with him a surprise -- Col. Tigh's wife, Ellen.
Adama wants Ellen tested first and the president doesn't. Roslyn even questions Tigh separately about Adama. Headbutting ensues.
This was a good, but not great episode, filled with embarrassments for almost every character. Although some of the hijinks made me laugh, no progress is being made. I mean literally no progress. I don't know if the fleet has moved at all since they collected the water.
Anyway, some more observations:
When an erratically flying Raider starts buzzing the fleet, Adama is discovered to be on a Raptor with no filed flight plan, further fueling Roslyn's suspicions about the commander. But when he returns to the Galactica, he brings with him a surprise -- Col. Tigh's wife, Ellen.
Adama wants Ellen tested first and the president doesn't. Roslyn even questions Tigh separately about Adama. Headbutting ensues.
This was a good, but not great episode, filled with embarrassments for almost every character. Although some of the hijinks made me laugh, no progress is being made. I mean literally no progress. I don't know if the fleet has moved at all since they collected the water.
Anyway, some more observations:
- Tigh's wife is a total ho. She's a drunk too, which is perfect since Tigh was almost in danger of getting sober. Luckily, she appears with a bottle of ambrosia and they proceed to get plastered. At one point this loose chick is swinging from the ceiling. I kid you not.
- Apollo actually shows up in this episode. Unfortunately, his only purpose is to get hit on by slutty Ellen who toys with his crotch during a dinner party.
- Ellen's kooky story about being in a coma since the attack doesn't wash, but I don't think she's a Cylon. It's not explained how Adama found her on the Rising Star.
- Billy and Dualla engage in some light petting in a popular makeout spot where a dozen other couples oooh and ah as the Vipers fly by on patrol. I had a problem with this scene, and it's not just because I hate Billy. It's been 28 days since the entire human civilization was destroyed. I just wasn't buying the innocence displayed here by the young couples. The scene looked like Saturday night at the drive-in from a 50's movie. And, yeah, I don't like Billy. Wasn't Dualla busting his chops about stereotyping Sagitarans the last time we saw this couple? Maybe she's just horny. This show has been exceptionally good about continuity and showing the natural progression of relationships. They dropped the ball here.
- Helo and Caprica-Boomer. Jeez, how boring are they? However, I did like the conversation between Caprica-Shelly and Doral. As Doral hollowly muses about what it must feel like to, well, feel, tears of frustration gather in Shelly's eyes. She is jealous as shit of Sharon being able to get Helo to fall for her the way Baltar can't really fall for Number Six. Did the Cylons really think out the ramifications of installing the Emotions 1.0 software in themselves? Evidently not.
- Baltar gets caught with his pants down, literally. I guess even Lt. Gaeda isn't comfortable working too closely with him anymore.
- It turns out that Baltar's test takes hours to run and at this rate he estimates it'll take over 60 years to test the whole fleet. However, this doesn't matter since he's tanking the tests anyway! Since he's determined not to give out real results, I think he should speed up the process and pass twenty people a day.
- No Tyrol and Galactica-Boomer scene in this episode. I think that's a first.
- Hey, was ambrosia the color of NyQuil in the original show??
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Friday, March 04, 2005
This is what "going apeshit" means
AP story on abcnews.go.com:
"Two chimps chewed off a man's nose and severely mauled his genitals and limbs at an animal sanctuary in California Thursday."
Read more
"Two chimps chewed off a man's nose and severely mauled his genitals and limbs at an animal sanctuary in California Thursday."
Read more
Frodo Lives... In Indonesia
From The Bosh.com:
"The study of the skull of a tiny, extinct human discovered in Indonesia last year shows that it has features consistent with an advanced brain, despite being only the size of a grapefruit."
Read more
"The study of the skull of a tiny, extinct human discovered in Indonesia last year shows that it has features consistent with an advanced brain, despite being only the size of a grapefruit."
Read more
Sith Happens
From CNN.com:
The trailer for "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" will premiere during the March 10 episode of The O.C.
Read more
The trailer for "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" will premiere during the March 10 episode of The O.C.
Read more
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Narnia Painting Sells for $1325 on eBay
Found on ign.com:
"Artist Marc Fishman and the Duirweigh Gallery had a painting of Aslan and Cair Paravel (Narnia's royal castle) up for auction. The auction page with photos of the painting can be viewed here."
"Artist Marc Fishman and the Duirweigh Gallery had a painting of Aslan and Cair Paravel (Narnia's royal castle) up for auction. The auction page with photos of the painting can be viewed here."
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Jedi Fabulous
Things are heating up in Star Wars Galaxies! Evidently some players thought the game wasn't "Star Wars enough" (what??) so now players can openly battle each other and NPCs for the control of planets and moons. I healed several people on Friday night who got the shit shot out of them by stormtroopers. Go me!
They're added news terminals in the starports so you can read Imperial propaganda about how Bush -- uh, I meant Emperor Palpatine -- is winning the war.
Darth Vader made an appearance in the plaza in front of the starport in Theed on Sunday!
Oooo!
I wasn't online at the time, however. Dammit!
I'm hoping to catch sight of the Emperor. However, I have no plans to kneel and say, "What is thy bidding, my master?"
This is all very exciting, but I fully realize that I may find my house on Dantooine in flames one day because I happen to live in an Imperial city and the Rebels might shoot me too. I just live there. I didn't even vote in the recent election, though mayor Dotwari seems like a nice Twilek lady. She gave me a free house and paid my first month's rent, after all.
Hmm...
On another note, I would assume there will be tie-ins to Episode III coming in the near future. At the very least I would expect a new expansion pack to drop and some new planets (maybe the Wookie homeworld, Kashyyyk) to open up.
They're added news terminals in the starports so you can read Imperial propaganda about how Bush -- uh, I meant Emperor Palpatine -- is winning the war.
Darth Vader made an appearance in the plaza in front of the starport in Theed on Sunday!
Oooo!
I wasn't online at the time, however. Dammit!
I'm hoping to catch sight of the Emperor. However, I have no plans to kneel and say, "What is thy bidding, my master?"
This is all very exciting, but I fully realize that I may find my house on Dantooine in flames one day because I happen to live in an Imperial city and the Rebels might shoot me too. I just live there. I didn't even vote in the recent election, though mayor Dotwari seems like a nice Twilek lady. She gave me a free house and paid my first month's rent, after all.
Hmm...
On another note, I would assume there will be tie-ins to Episode III coming in the near future. At the very least I would expect a new expansion pack to drop and some new planets (maybe the Wookie homeworld, Kashyyyk) to open up.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Flash Fiction Challenge: The Broker
“Sure you want to do this?” Donovan pushed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter across the table to the teen seated before him. A spry octogenarian, the broker had a squirrelly look.
The young man nodded, though he eyed the offering with suspicion.
The clients were usually older. The old always wanted to relive memories. Something was always missing from the present. Donovan shrugged mentally. Whatever it takes to ease the pain.
“So... why 1995? Political climate more to your liking? Good year for baseball?”
“I got my reasons.” The kid slouched in his seat and scowled. An act, of course. From money, Donovan mused.
“Have it your way, son. Any questions?”
“It’s real?” the client asked slowly.
“How do you define ‘real’”? See---”
“Don’t fuck with me,” the kid grated.
Donovan sat back, frowning. “You just blew it. Happy now?”
“NO!” the kid stammered. “I want to get this started. Please. How does it start?”
“You’re already there.” Donovan pointed at the door.
The kid looked confused. “Just like that?”
The broker snapped his fingers. “Done.”
Hope entered the teen’s face. A second later a soft gray light filled the office as he opened the door.
He hesitated. “I would’ve paid ten times as much...”
The old man folded his hands. “My loss,” he said lightly, but the boy was gone.
Reaching out for a battered notebook on his desk, Donovan smiled faintly and drew a neat line through another name.
“Two more left,” he whispered.
Above is my entry for this week's Flash Fiction Challenge: http://diminishedfifth.blogspot.com/.
The rules were as follows:
The young man nodded, though he eyed the offering with suspicion.
The clients were usually older. The old always wanted to relive memories. Something was always missing from the present. Donovan shrugged mentally. Whatever it takes to ease the pain.
“So... why 1995? Political climate more to your liking? Good year for baseball?”
“I got my reasons.” The kid slouched in his seat and scowled. An act, of course. From money, Donovan mused.
“Have it your way, son. Any questions?”
“It’s real?” the client asked slowly.
“How do you define ‘real’”? See---”
“Don’t fuck with me,” the kid grated.
Donovan sat back, frowning. “You just blew it. Happy now?”
“NO!” the kid stammered. “I want to get this started. Please. How does it start?”
“You’re already there.” Donovan pointed at the door.
The kid looked confused. “Just like that?”
The broker snapped his fingers. “Done.”
Hope entered the teen’s face. A second later a soft gray light filled the office as he opened the door.
He hesitated. “I would’ve paid ten times as much...”
The old man folded his hands. “My loss,” he said lightly, but the boy was gone.
Reaching out for a battered notebook on his desk, Donovan smiled faintly and drew a neat line through another name.
“Two more left,” he whispered.
Above is my entry for this week's Flash Fiction Challenge: http://diminishedfifth.blogspot.com/.
The rules were as follows:
- Maximum length: 250 words.
- The theme is: memory.
- The year is: 1995.
- Within the story, you must use this text: ease the pain.
Monday, February 28, 2005
BSG: Flesh and Bone
The theme of paranoia continues as Leobon, the Cylon whom Adama beat to death with a flashlight in the mini-series, resurfaces on another ship and is held for interrogation. Starbuck, wearing yet another sombrero, is brought in to handle the questioning and one is left wondering if Apollo has any duties whatsoever on this ship.
Leobon immediately gets in Starbuck’s head and tells her that he’s planted a nuke on one of the ships. Of course it’s a total lie, but while messing with her for the next eight hours he does drop some tantalizing foreshadowing about the fleet finding Kobol, birthplace of mankind, which will in turn lead the fleet to Earth.
Leo also brings the monotheism vs. polytheism schism between Cylons and humans back to the forefront by openly sneering at Starbuck for praying to idols and sinning and worshiping Artemis and sinning and...
Of course she counters by pointing out that his “race” is responsible for genocide, so they’re clearly evil, but is it worth considering that the Cylons really may be – honest to God! – agents of Jehovah, about to lay the final smack down on some infidels who quite possibly deserve it?
Just a thought.
Anyway, some observations:
Leobon immediately gets in Starbuck’s head and tells her that he’s planted a nuke on one of the ships. Of course it’s a total lie, but while messing with her for the next eight hours he does drop some tantalizing foreshadowing about the fleet finding Kobol, birthplace of mankind, which will in turn lead the fleet to Earth.
Leo also brings the monotheism vs. polytheism schism between Cylons and humans back to the forefront by openly sneering at Starbuck for praying to idols and sinning and worshiping Artemis and sinning and...
Of course she counters by pointing out that his “race” is responsible for genocide, so they’re clearly evil, but is it worth considering that the Cylons really may be – honest to God! – agents of Jehovah, about to lay the final smack down on some infidels who quite possibly deserve it?
Just a thought.
Anyway, some observations:
- Kudos to President Roslyn, who really had me thinking that her cancer treatment had screwed her up so bad that she really was talking peace with a Cylon. However, I’m not sure if it made sense to destroy one Cylon model, yet keep another (the Raider).
- Baltar is priceless once again as he finds out his Cylon detector works, but he’s too scared shitless to tell his subject, Boomer, that she’s a fembot.
- As usual, Baltar, the sex junkie, has the best line in the show: “So… why do they call you ‘Boomer’?”
- Did Jamie Bamber piss someone off, or...?
Sunday, February 27, 2005
BSG: There are 12 Models of Cylons
In the 2003 mini-series, Number Six said that there a only twelve models of Cylons. Let's see how many we've seen so far:
Although I predict that "God" is a Cylon model, analogous to the Imperious Leader in the original show, the human Cylons aren't acting as if they know that their God is a machine.
I think we'll eventually see two more human models. It would be good if one was a child. One should also be an old person.
- Shelly "Number Six" Godfrey, Baltar's lover.
- Doral, the tourguide/suicide bomber.
- Leobon, the arms dealer killed by Adama in the miniseries and later by Pres. Roslyn.
- Sharon "Boomer" Valeri, Tyrol's ex-girlfriend.
- The Centurians, often seen chasing Helo and Sharon through the woods of Caprica.
- The Raider, currently being examined in the Galactica's landing bay
Although I predict that "God" is a Cylon model, analogous to the Imperious Leader in the original show, the human Cylons aren't acting as if they know that their God is a machine.
I think we'll eventually see two more human models. It would be good if one was a child. One should also be an old person.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
8 Million Stories
I'm watching Alien Siege, another Sci-Fi Channel Original. The premise is that aliens have landed on Earth and are demanding 8 million people as sacrifices or they'll destroy the planet. Early on the show establishes that most countries have selected their sacrifices from their prison populations, but the good old USA is trying to be fair. 650,000 Americans will be chosen using a lottery system. The President gets on TV and tells the people who are fighting back to stop resisting.
As if!
Could any President sell this? Someone would assassinate him. His party would be ruined forever. And I hate how they always show soldiers in these types of films as having no problem with what is going on. Let me tell you, we bitched all the time about our orders and we weren't being asked to escort people to their deaths!
There are two things that civilians don't seem to know about the U.S. military, and it's really important.
Would some assholes go along with this farce? Oh, hell yeah. But I have no doubt that military personnel would go AWOL rather than do this, especially since their own families would be effected if the lottery is truly random.
But would the lottery be truly random?
The best way to ensure that the majority population could be sold this would be to weight the lottery. For example, you're more likely to be picked if you've ever done time, been on probabtion or ever collected public assistance. You're less likely to be picked if you hold a college degree, and you are given extra consideration if you hold an advanced degree. Certain professions would be exempt entirely -- police, military, medical professionals, etc.
That is how you would get the majority to cooperate.
By the way, my discussion of this is way better than the show.
As if!
Could any President sell this? Someone would assassinate him. His party would be ruined forever. And I hate how they always show soldiers in these types of films as having no problem with what is going on. Let me tell you, we bitched all the time about our orders and we weren't being asked to escort people to their deaths!
There are two things that civilians don't seem to know about the U.S. military, and it's really important.
- The soldier has taken an oath to defend the Constitution, not to do what the President says. If there is a contradiction, the Constitution must be upheld.
- The soldier is not supposed to obey an unlawful order.
Would some assholes go along with this farce? Oh, hell yeah. But I have no doubt that military personnel would go AWOL rather than do this, especially since their own families would be effected if the lottery is truly random.
But would the lottery be truly random?
The best way to ensure that the majority population could be sold this would be to weight the lottery. For example, you're more likely to be picked if you've ever done time, been on probabtion or ever collected public assistance. You're less likely to be picked if you hold a college degree, and you are given extra consideration if you hold an advanced degree. Certain professions would be exempt entirely -- police, military, medical professionals, etc.
That is how you would get the majority to cooperate.
By the way, my discussion of this is way better than the show.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Happy Dirt Day
I finally got my computer back today. It'll be a looong time before I have everything reinstalled.
The next time I have to reformat my hard drive(s) I will:
The next time I have to reformat my hard drive(s) I will:
- Back up my email
- Back up my browser bookmarks
- Back up my passwords
- Download and store the latest drivers for everything
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