Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Xmas Comes Early


For all those "hard-to-buy-fors" on your list, why not treat them to a magical night out experiencing the song stylings of Missing Palmer West?


Friday, December 21st @ The Khyber in Philly -- 9pm, $8, 21+

And no. It is not a benefit kinda thing.

And for some fun, are you a fan of "Friend Rock?" Not sure? Well Sufjan can explain it all in this so, so true sidebar post on Asthmatic Kitty: Friend Rock

And yes, I HAVE sold merch.

Friday, December 14, 2007

It'll Kill Ya!

Beeps and I find the local news, and its desperate attempt to win viewers and ratings, very entertaining. It usually happens at a promo shot between commercials. They seem to take the most unlikely object, exploit its dangers, fill you with fear, and then tell you to tune in later.

For example:

"There's something in your refrigerator that will kill you and your kids instantly. We'll tell you what it is, tonight at 11."


Here's one that I found online today. Same idea:

Toy Ball Can Be a Fiery Nightmare
Friday, 14 Dec 2007, 1:41 PM EST

From MyFoxChicago Reports


Chicago -- A warning for any parent shopping for gifts for the children in their lives. A Fox News Chicago investigation has found one popular toy can burst into flames in certain situations. Medical reporter Margaret Shortridge has more on what you need to know.


Ummm, first of all, what parent, besides Rosie O'Donnell, is buying this toy for his/her kids for Christmas? If I was that kid, I'd be pissed. And second of all, what do they mean by "certain situations"? Do they mean like when you pour gasoline on it and hold it under a lighter, bake it in the stove, or throw it in a camp fire? I don't get it. Thirdly, who is funding these "investigations" cause they could get better use out of that money by simply giving it to me.

The only reason it's bursting into flames in the first place is because all the disgruntled boys and girls find these more fun to burn then to actually play with.

Corporate conferences and expositions all over the world morn this discovery.

Uggg.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Persepolis


Beeps bought these 2 novels no too long ago. I read them both in about 3 hours while camping over Thanksgiving weekend. I couldn't put them down. (I know I said I don't read, but these have lots of pictures, so it sort-of doesn't count.)

Anyway, a definite winner! The books were scary, heartbreaking, intense, smart, and very funny. Marjane Satrapi really opened my eyes to what it is like to grow up in a war torn and sometimes extreme Muslim world. Plus the movie opens on Christmas day. It looks stunning. Go here to see the trailer.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

What Do You Want on Your Tombstone?

I saw this article about a digital solar device that you put on a tombstone to show pictures or videos or whatever. Thought it was cool. (Although I plan on being cremated and made into either a natural fish reef or a diamond.) If I had this I'd probably record myself telling lots of inappropriate fat Mom jokes to piss off the viewers. It's not like they can do anything to me right?

Anyhoo, if you had this device, what would you put on your tombstone?

Friday, December 7, 2007

Bus Crash

Hi all, Happy Pearl Harbor Day! Okay, maybe the word "happy" is a bit much. Maybe "Contemplate" Pearl Harbor Day is better?

I always remember this day. I was in a horrific school bus accident on this day in 1990. I was a senior. Yes, a senior. and before you say "You geek, what senior rides the school bus?" I'll stop you and tell you that on this particular day, my ride was unable to take me home.

I was sitting about 8 rows back on the left hand side of the bus and rocking out to Depeche Mode on my yellow Sony Walkman. Completely ignoring everything around me. I don't remember the song. I'm thinking it was probably something off of "Violator", probably "World in My Eyes" or "Clean".

It was the end of the bus route and since I lived the farthest out, I was one of the last to be dropped off. I remember those bus rides feeling like hours. There were about 10 students still on the bus including my cousins who lived about 2 miles from my house on a farm.

As we approached the intersection near their house (the intersection was a yellow blinking light for us and a red blinking light for the cross traffic) I noticed a pick up truck approaching us quickly from outside my window on the left side. I knew immediately that it was not going to stop. My brain instantly calculated its point of impact as right where I was sitting. Panicked, I stood up (where I was going to go I had no idea). Then,

SMASH!!!

I was thrown across the bus aisle into the seat on the right side of the bus.

We were in the air.

For a brief moment it was silent.

Then a second CRASH!!! The telephone pole on the opposite side of the street came crashing in the window in front of me, broken in half.

The bus spun for a moment and then stopped. Its rear end up in the air facing into the field. I was stunned. I looked down on my lap. Drip, drip, GUSH! Blood began to pour out of my head and into the cupped hands in front of me. I screamed, afraid of what my injury might be. I looked around. Everyone was stunned. Some kids were already moving toward the emergency door. My cousin bolted out of the front of the bus (her shoes had fallen off in the impact) and she ran to her house. Another girl was knocked out and slumped over the seat. My other cousin was on the ground outside, he had been thrown through the window and onto the field.

I walked to the back of the bus, blood burning my eyes. It was hard to see. I could see the pick up that hit us. It was to my right, about 75 feet up the street. mangled and engulfed in flames. Some workers, who had heard the impact, were running across the field. They helped me off the bus.

I passed out in the mud.

A few minutes later I woke up to sirens and people milling about. I could hear the roar of the "Jaws of Life" as they attempted to free the driver from his truck. They held a white sheet in front of it as they worked. It was too late. Someone was holding my head to stop the bleeding, it was my Aunt. I saw my Principal. That was weird.

All I could think about was what my parents were doing and where they were. My Dad who worked for the Electric Company and who was a Lineman, heard the accident on the radio. He headed for the hospital to await my arrival. My Mom was called at work. She did the same.

When I arrived at the hospital, they put about 20 stitches in my head and had to sew my right ear back on. It was almost completely severed from the impact.

Surprisingly, all the kids survived. The worst was the girl passed out over the seat. She had broken her pelvic bone, broken her ribs, and punctured her lung. My cousin who was thrown had a large cut down his scalp and was airlifted to Cooper Hospital. He was okay.

But the driver of the truck was killed instantly. Turns out he was hauling a two ton asphalt roller that catapulted up the street upon impact with the bus, taking the truck with it. Luckily the roller missed the bus.

He was on his way home from work.

That night when I got home, I wasn't allowed to go to sleep for fear that I would slip into a coma. My Mom stayed up with me and woke me if I started to pass out. I got to stay out of school for a week which was cool I guess. My head was shaved in the front, so I wore a bandanna for a while.

A few days later my Dad wanted to go see the bus at the bus lot. I didn't want to go at first but he insisted. "It'll be cool." he said "You'll see." (He's twisted in a fun kind-of way) So I went.

At first the bus looked undamaged until we got up close. In reality it was bent like a kidney bean. I walked to the left side and saw the impact site. It was right under the window where I was seated. Because buses sit higher off the ground, it appeared that the pick up had first gone right under the bus, severing the cab.

I walked inside.

MY WALKMAN! It was sitting on the ground. Play stopped somewhere mid-synth ballad. The earphones snapped in half. It still worked.

I looked in the seat where I landed. My blood was everywhere. On the seat, the back of the seat in front of it, the floor, everywhere. The trail lead to the back of the bus. The moments frozen in time.

"That's it Dad, can we go home?" And we did.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Japanese Guys Playing Soccer With Binoculars On


Title says it all. Good times.



Tuesday, December 4, 2007

There is a God and his name is CBS

First Turkey gave me the heads up and now Smoochies has confirmed:

Big Brother to return this February!


Hosted, as always, by Julie Chen, "Big Brother" will premiere on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. ET, following "NCIS." Additional installments of "Big Brother" will air on Wednesdays and Sundays at 8 p.m., premiering on Feb. 13 and Feb. 17.

WOOT!!! I CANNOT WAIT! Why can't the writers strike all the time?

Monday, December 3, 2007

The MPW/University Rockstravaganza

Jim of Chachi Milk reminded me about the MPW/University Rockstravaganza. I didn't post anything about it because I'm hoping to get my paws on pictures taken by a certain "white Barry Bonds". But I do have this gem...



All I have to say is that the panties were flying. Even the bigger gals participated.

Christmas in Philly

Ahhh, how true...

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Catch Up

Sorry for being MIA for a while. After returning from the cabin after Thanksgiving, work was very busy. This weekend I finally had a moment to post some pictures from our trip. It was COLD as all get out up there. One morning we woke up to a 29 degree cabin WITH the wood stove on!

There were 6 dogs and 6 people. Because it was hunting season, I didn't want Leia Darth Maul to be mistaken for a black bear cub, so I dressed her in an orange t-shirt. The only one I had was and old University shirt. Unfortunately Leia found something very stinky to roll in. As seen in the image below. Sorry University.


We made some wreaths.



Mom made a great turkey dinner.

Once home we unpacked to find we had a stow away in the dog food can. Smoochies had managed to sneak him into the dog food while we were packing.

He's baaaack!