Tuesday, August 31, 2004

Politics: RNC Podium

Check out the podium at the Republican National Convention. (This is the best photo I could find. ) My first reaction was, "Well, they're trying something different. Using wood, all natural, got to like that. But it looks like someone just grabbed some leftover lumber and slapped it together." Then I noticed the subliminal crosses. Most obvious in the section on the left. I wonder how non-Christian Republicans feel about that...?

Nutjobs

More about the priest who attacked the Brazilian runner. (Apparently, he is not "defrocked" but he is currently facing charges of gross indecency with a child. What do you have to do to be defrocked these days?)

The article ends by stating:

Central to his beliefs is that Jesus Christ will return as an Israeli army officer who will lead the chosen through Armageddon and they will live for a 1,000 years on this Earth.

Sunday, August 29, 2004

Politics: Henry Bonilla

As reported by the Dallas Morning News, Rep. Henry Bonilla describes the New York experience ahead of the Republican Convention. Be sure to read his favourite New York memory.
To all my Brazilian friends, so sorry about my Uncle Cornelius. (When I went to the ABC News page, it had an ad for their "Person Of The Week". He's a fine, devout man, but surely not?)

Saturday, August 28, 2004

Gossipy article about the Bush twins. Their Secret Service nicknames are Twinkle and Turquoise.

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Advertising: Midas

Nominee for "Creepiest Guy On TV": the polygraph operator in those Midas commercials. At the end of each commercial, he turns to the camera and sings their jingle. You could imagine checking on your kids at night and finding him sitting beside their bed, singing softly.
Genuine Quentin Tarantino blog or not?

Thursday, August 19, 2004

Words: Neologisms

Some neologisms (original, I hope):

  • Nespot - A dictator who inherited his position (for example, Baby Doc Duvalier).
  • Matrimoney - A dowry; fee paid to a mail-order bride.
  • Gnomad - A very small wanderer.
  • Perpspiration - The sweat of a guilty criminal in a police line-up.
  • Sellabit - Abstaining from sex, except when prostituting oneself.
  • Hummerrhoids - Extremely painful lumps in the rectum that are wished upon the owners of large SUVs.
  • Parisite - Freeloader who attaches himself or herself to a wealthy hotel heiress.
  • Hilton Head - Sexual favour received from a wealthy hotel heiress.

Okay, it looks like I was beaten to Parisite. And Hilton Head. And Gnomad. And maybe Sellabit.

Wednesday, August 18, 2004

TV: "Wacky Races"

Eagerly anticipated DVD: "Wacky Races - The Complete Series". Here's an artistic rendition of Penelope Pitstop and her Compact Pussycat. You can buy a limited edition cel from the Cartoon Network that shows Penelope and 'The Hooded Claw' engaging in some light bondage. Just $1025.00. (The Hooded Claw is mentioned in Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "The Power Of Love".)

Tuesday, August 17, 2004

Wednesday, August 11, 2004

Words: Wordcount

WORDCOUNT - interactive display of the most common words in the English language (that's English English - not American English). Which is more common - "mucous" or "phlegm"? (Mucous wins, 28384 to 37936.) "Karate" or "Judo" ? (Karate, 15172 to 24663.) What is that word after "Apt" and "Gandhi" ? Find fun accidental phrases like "Inevitably, loose employee falls" (3110 through 3113), or "Bush, admit specifically agents smell" (2629-2633). And then, there's always the dirty words to look up. Hmm, are "Cock" (10870) and "Penis" (10871) really used the same number of times? I'm beginning to wonder about the trustworthiness of their counts - "Donegal" (16313) used slightly less than "Vagina"(16307) and "Condoms" (16309) ? It's a lovely county, and a nice tweed, but really? This may all be some arty put-on.

The Simpsons: Milhouse In Lego

Milhouse in Lego. And which Simpsons character will turn out to be gay next season? (Groundskeeper Willie would be my guess too.) Here's a random image.

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Cryptic Crossword: No Grid

More cryptic crossword clues, but without the tedious crossword part.

  1. Syrup used to flavour drinks is endearing mixture (9)
  2. Stand-in for two chromosomes (5)
  3. Disease found during colonic: hole rash (7)
  4. Group of college girls sorry about ring - it got swallowed! (8)
  5. Abuse rum, rinse Able-Bodied seaman (10)
  6. Determined poodle, for example, gets educational certificate (6)
(#4 was corrected after Eric spotted my mistake.)

Monday, August 09, 2004

Please - no more Japanese movie titles ending in "u". "Ringu", "Gozu", "Kikoku" - it's been done. Get over it.

Sunday, August 08, 2004

Movies: The Last -

Another movie title formula that has grown stale: "The Last (something)". IMDB lists "The Last Samurai", "The Last Emperor", "The Last Picture Show", "The Last Castle", "The Last Boy Scout", "The Last Seduction", "The Last Detail", "The Last Starfighter", "The Last Waltz", "The Last Cigarette", "The Last Cowboy", "The Last Marshal", "The Last Customer", "The Last Ride", "The Last Valley", "The Last Producer", "The Last Bomb", "The Last Bullet", "The Last Song", "The Last Movie", and the forthcoming "The Last Shot". (This one is based on a true story, which was included in an episode of 'This American Life'. Listen here.)

Friday, August 06, 2004

A list from McSweeneys.

Food: Eating On Subway; Rocky Road

Firstly, kudos to Eric for being the only person to solve all cryptograms so far, except for the last one. But I'm sure the solution to that will be coming very soon - now that I've given Eric the credit he so richly demands.

Robb, meanwhile, pointed me to this story about a poster urging Londoners not to eat smelly food on the Underground. In Robb's words, "Life must be good in England if smelly food is all they have to worry about."

And in D.C. too, where a woman was arrested for eating a Payday bar.

After 16 years in the USA, I've finally discovered the Rocky Road bar, but I'm making up for lost time. I see it's also available in Dark Chocolate and Mint.

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Symbols: Play, Pause, Stop etc.

Who designed those familiar icons for "Play", "Pause", "Stop", "Fast Forward" and "Reverse"? Do they pre-date the cassette tape?

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Useful Glossary of Irish slang - here's the entry for 'G'. (I was looking up "GUBU".)