Humor
Things that make me laugh, or that I think will make others laugh.
John McClane for President in 2008
Now here’s a presidential candidate I can get behind.
McClane was fighting the war on terror before it even had a name — and he’s proven he can win it.
John McClane believes in strong health care — he just doesn’t have time to get to a doctor when he’s being shot at.
McClane gets that technology creates as many problems as it solves. Relying on a gadget is no replacement for doing it yourself.
McClane knows that patriotism isn’t about waving a flag while you sit on the couch watching ‘American Idol’. It’s about getting off your butt and fighting for what’s right.
McClane is the American cowboy for our times. He gets how important action-packed portrayals of true heroism are.
Since he hasn’t announced a running mate yet, given that I’m not in entire agreement with his stance on technology, may I suggest Angus MacGyver? Equally as able to get out and get things done, but his willingness to use and adapt available technology would be a nice balance to McClane’s ‘hands-on’ approach.
(via nyquil.org)
Google Transit: A for Effort…
…but a solid F for practicality and safety. At least where my commute is concerned.
According to Google Transit, the best way for me to get from my apartment to North Seattle Community College involves grabbing a bus from the closest bus stop to the transit center just south of the Northgate Mall. So far, so good.
Unfortunately, after that, I need to walk a block, scale a chain-link fence, climb a hill, play Frogger across three lanes of northbound traffic, one express lane, and three lanes of southbound traffic on I-5, go down a hill, scale another chain link fence, hike through some woods, and swim across the lake on the NSCC grounds. Oh, and according to their estimates, it should take me nine minutes to do all this.
I think that I’ll stick to the Seattle Metro Trip Planner for now. ;)
(Yes, I’m sure Google does much better in many circumstances. This one just gave me a good laugh.)
2008 Banned Words or Phrases
As compiled by Lake Superior State University:
- perfect storm
- Webinar
- waterboarding
- organic
- wordsmith/wordsmithing
- author/authored
- post 9/11
- surge
- give back
- ‘blank’ is the new ‘blank’
- Black Friday
- back in the day
- random
- sweet
- decimate
- emotional
- pop
- It is what it is
- under the bus
The Ratings Game #1
Some time within the past couple years, it seems to have become standard (whether voluntarily or by decree, I don’t know) for all new DVDs to flash the MPAA rating on screen for a few moments just before the movie begins. Additionally, for the past few years the MPAA has been including a brief description underneath the rating of why the movie in question has received its particular rating.
I’m constantly amused by these little blurbs and their attempt to rationalize, in fifteen words or less, what prompted the MPAA to assign the rating it did to each movie. So, I thought we could try a little game: every so often (whenever I get around to it, hopefully no less than once a week), I’ll post the MPAA rating and rationalization. Your goal is to try to guess the film, based solely on the MPAA’s rating and their description of its faults. I’ll post the answer either after someone guesses it correctly, or later on if it has remained a mystery.
Number one, then…any guesses?
56 Geeks, 7 of Them Are Me
Of the 56 geeks pictured here, I think I can lay claim to having elements of at least seven of them (obviously some are more overt than others):
All cartoons by ExtraLife, from the 56 Geeks Poster.
Best Xmas Commercials (So Far)
It’s only a top two, rather than a top ten or top three or any such thing (mostly because it’s so rare that commercials are actually fun that it’d be nearly impossible to get a list longer than two). However, here for your amusement are the top two commercials of this Christmas season, as chosen by Prairie and me.
In second place: the Staples Easy Button.
And…(the envelope, please)…in first place…(riiiiip): Verizon’s Pony!
Prairie can’t even think about the pony commercial without giggling, let alone watch it.
Badass Bible Verses
Cracked has a list of the top nine ‘badass’ bible verses. Just for fun, I’ll list the verse citations here. Any guesses at what stories they’re referring to (before looking at the linked article or clicking through to the linked NIV versions, of course)?
Meme: The ’80’s Movie Scientist Test
Your Score: Jordan Cochran
140 Heart, 138 Genius, 157 Cool, 144 Excitability
Jordan Cochran — (Michelle Meyrink)
Real Genius (1985)
You’re Jordan Cochran, the adorable fast-talking GIRL scientist of all things. While she may not be up there with the other super-geniuses of the ’80s, her awesome mechanical aptitude and geek-girl cuteness have made her the sweetheart of nerds for over 20 years.
“I never sleep, I don’t know why. I had a roommate and I drove her nuts, I mean really nuts, they had to take her away in an ambulance and everything. But she’s okay now, but she had to transfer to an easier school, but I don’t know if that had anything to do with being my fault. But listen, if you ever need to talk or you need help studying just let me know, ’cause I’m just a couple doors down from you guys and I never sleep, okay?”
Other scientific possibilities: Gary Wallace, Wyatt Donnelly, Peter Venkman, Jordan Cochran, Egon Spengler, Doc Brown, Newton Crosby, Paul Stephens, Ben Crandall, Wayne Szalinkski, Winston Zeddemore, Ben Jabituya, Lazlo Hollyfeld, Ray Stantz, Buckaroo Banzai, Chris Knight
Link: The Which 80s Movie Scientist Test
Amusing side note: Jordan is one of the first movie character crushes I ever had when I was growing up. :)
Historical side note: Jordan was based on a real Caltech student:
And, yes, Jordan of Real Genius was based, at least in part, on me. My class’s president and social organizers decided to ask me in on an interview being done by the movies producers and so there I was in one of the fanciest restaurants in Pasadena wrapped in a slightly oversized sweater that I’d knit myself one night when I was cold, talking blithly about life at Caltech without, from what folks say, a single breath. One of the most amusing things in my life was, fifteen years later, seeing that movie with a roomful of my friends from Temple Square and, the minute Jordan introduces herself in a long string of breathless sidetrains having the entire room turn to just look at me afterwards. That was most amusing. As Cera says, she has my voice.
I’ve learned about commas since. Also about breathing. And, finally, yes, I’ve also learned to finally sleep once in a while, though that took staying up 72 hours for a project while I was doing my MSEE at the University of Washington and having my body literally fall asleep on me before it shut down completely to really bring that lesson home.
Hm. I should put in here, also, that I’m the only Caltech woman that I knew was actually interviewed for source material; but I tried for a whole perspective about the female experience at the school. Not just me. It was an ME friend of mine that did the scuba gear testing in the pool, and while all the physically possible things that Jordan did were done by some Caltech woman, it wasn’t necessarily me. I’m also very sure that Dave Marvit and the other Caltech consultants for the movie all contributed some of what they knew about the females of the school to Jordan’s character as well. So I’m pretty sure she’s a composit of the others who were there at that time. Personally, I was just glad that they got her right.