The Academy Awards!

My favorite Award last night was Best Animated Feature. The Incredibles was one of my favorites for last year!

I will be buying the 2 disk DVD when it hits the street on March 15th!

--And it's machine washable darling. That's a new feature.

What the Hell?

So I went to the pool this morning and the place was packed. There was a giant swim meet going on so the stands were full of really hot moms in their forties (yet more evidence hot women in their forties are taking over). I was swim walking to work my knees out without killing them. A great workout you can still do after four knee operations. A great thing about that workout is that you get to people watch.

I began to see a troubling fashion trend.

Look, I know I am not "with-it" when it come to fashion. But what the hell is up with wearing pajama bottoms? I saw this 35 year old guy in a seventies porn star mustache, an orange Syracuse sweatshirt and gray Hello Kitty pajama bottoms!

Wassup with that?

My knees are feeling better already!

Brenda and I went shopping today and found our new pride and joy! To be delivered in 4 to 6 weeks!

Now I have some serious work to do in the next few weeks. Gotta prep the spot!

--That yard is shaping up very nicely!

I still Hate the Mass Media!

The public disgrace and ruin of New York Times editor Howell Raines, CBS anchor Dan Rather and CNN news director Eason Jordan should be a big enough clue for mass media.

For years now the edges of the bell curve have been quietly ruling in the world of mass media. I hope the pendulum is swinging back again.

--What's the Frequency Kenneth, you liar scum-bucket of rancid vomit!!

Random thing I learned today

Many, perhaps even most, ordinary Democrats and Republicans have no idea of the relative histories of their parties.

To stop the Democrats’ pro-slavery agenda, anti-slavery activists founded the Republican Party, starting with a few dozen men and women in Ripon, Wisconsin on March 20, 1854. The party spread across the northern and western United States like a prairie fire of freedom. The first Republican state convention was held in Jackson, Michigan in July 1854. The Republican National Committee met for the first time in 1856, followed four months later by the first Republican National Convention.

In the election of 1860, Republicans swept to victory in the White House and won majorities in both houses of Congress. Just six years after the party’s founding, the Governor of every northern state in America was a Republican.

Democrats believe that their party has always been the "party of civil rights"; that theirs was the side that fought against slavery, and for equal rights, citizenship, and the right of blacks to vote, even women's suffrage. Not true.

--Things that make you go Hmmmm...



--

My daughter is sick today.

She seemed fine this morning when I dropped her off at school. I got the call from the school nurse around 10:30am. She was pale, stuffed up, ears plugged, dizzy, fevered, and had a headache.

I was lucky to get a appt at the doctors office at 11:30am. It turns out she has a sinus infection. Poor kid. Dropped of the prescription to get filled, ate lunch and now we are watching Twins.

--Sigh. Poor kid.

Key West Prosecutor Faces Streaking Charge

KEY WEST, Fla. - A drunk Monroe County prosecutor thought it would be funny to run naked across a parking lot and hop into a friend's car, authorities said. But the joke was on him when he jumped into the wrong car and was arrested.

--That seemed like a good idea at the time!

'Gonzo' Godfather Hunter S. Thompson Kills Himself

LOS ANGELES - Hunter S. Thompson, a renegade journalist whose "gonzo" style threw out any pretense at objectivity and established the hard-living writer as a counter-culture icon, fatally shot himself at his Colorado home on Sunday night, police said. He was 67.

Thompson's son, Juan, released a statement saying he had found his father dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at the writer's Owl Creek farm near Aspen.

--Suicide is never an answer.

I shaved today!!

Which one is least ugly?

Bug Bunny gets an Extreem Makeover

Nothing is sacred, not even Bugs Bunny.

The new Bugs Bunny is actually an ancestor of Bugs named Buzz Bunny. The new WB cartoon is actually set 700 years in the future. I will have to watch it this fall to either weep in my coffee or be surprised by something original. Many purists are shocked and mortified that a foundation pillar of their childhood will change so much. I am willing to wait and see.

On one hand I hated what they did to Johnny Quest. On the other hand there is no longer a market for exploding cigars, falling pianos or hunters with low IQs.

--But will there be a Marvin the Martian...

All Dork Weekends Rule!

This is going to be a complete geek-fest weekend for me. Tonight my son Gray and I are having a mans night out. I told him we can go where ever he wants and do whatever he wants (a brave thing to say to an eight year old). I had visions of Chucky Cheeses, bad pizza, twenty dollars in tokens and early carpe tunnel in the wrists from Space Invaders...

In stead he says, "I want to go to BestBuy and look for upgrades for my computer." His eyes were beaming.

Tonight will be followed by an all day LOTRED-Fest at a friends house. Lord of the Rings, Extended Editions to the non-movie geeks out there. A sweet 12 hour, butt numb-a-thon! This is what makes life so sweet.

--But what does "seize the tunnel" have to do with my wrist problem?

Sen. Clinton Pushes for Voting Holiday

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a possible White House candidate in 2008, joined 2004 nominee John Kerry and other Democrats Thursday in urging that Election Day be made a federal holiday to encourage voting.

--Holy shit! I was so close to agreeing with Hillary. Then Suddenly...

She also pushed for legislation that would allow all ex-felons to vote.

--Safe again...

Donnie Darko: The Directors Cut

The directors cut of Donnie Darko has hit the market this week.

I don't know why I love this movie so much. It's completely whacked and you must see it if you have not seen it yet. If you have seen it, you need to see the directors cut.

--It's gonna be a good weekend for the movies...

At last the waiting is over!!

A 'One Day at a Time' Reunion!

The Cooper women and the friendly building superintendent Schneider are back! That's right, VALERIE BERTINELLI, MACKENZIE PHILLIPS and the rest of the "One Day at a Time" crew have come together for a long-awaited TV reunion!

--Valerie is more evidence that Hot women in their 40's are taking over.

Casablanca and Time...

I have some friends over last night and we watched Casablanca on the big screen.

This morning, as I was drinking coffee and sitting around in my robe, I was thinking about how much the world has changed since 1942. Casablanca was made while World War II in full swing. Germany had already invaded France. The Japanese had not yet bombed Pearl Harbor December 07, 1941. The Allies invaded Casablanca in real life on the 8th of November 1942. As the film was not due for release until spring, studio executives suggested it be changed to incorporate the invasion. They never did.

--They never knew then just how far it all would go. The war or the movie...

Thinking about Valentines Day

I had a realization last night as I lay in bed watching candlelight dance on the ceiling. I was trying to think of something to do for Valentines day for BR. Trying to think of a way to tell her what she means to me.

Here is the realization part:

She makes me glad I have as much time ahead as I do behind. She has me looking forward to the spending of my days.

--How did I get to be so lucky?

LaCie Biggest F800 2TB RAID

WARNING: Geek Post Ahead

LaCie has launched a few new products, including an external DVD burner with LightScribe technology (which I think I'm going to have to break down and get, from LaCie or someone else), as well as the well-named, well-proportioned LaCie Biggest F800 2TB, a desktop RAID solution designed for people who need loads of fast, secure data storage and are willing to pay for it.

Its capacity, if you had not gathered from the name, is two terabytes. And like any proper RAID array should be, the drives in the LaCie are hot-swappable.

--God I love Technology...

N. Korea Boasts About Nukes

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea boasted publicly for the first time Thursday that it has nuclear weapons and said it will stay away from disarmament talks, dramatically raising the stakes in the 2-year-old dispute.

--Iraq is nothing compared to this quagmire of shit.

What the Hell is up with Microsoft?

This last couple weeks I have seen way too many updates from Microsoft. Wassup with that?

I have given up trying to read the update descriptions because I think they are all lies. The amount of executables installed does not track even close.

--I guess I'll buy an Action Pack!!

Va. Bill Sets Fine for Low-Riding Pants

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginians who wear their pants so low their underwear shows may want to think about investing in a stronger belt.

The state's House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday authorizing a $50 fine for anyone who displays his or her underpants in a "lewd or indecent manner."

Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., a Democrat who opposed the bill, had pleaded with his colleagues to remember their own youthful fashion follies.

During an extended monologue Monday, he talked about how they dressed or wore their hair in their teens. On Tuesday, he said the measure was an unconstitutional attack on young blacks that would force parents to take off work to accompany their children to court just for making a fashion statement.

"This is a foolish bill, Mr. Speaker, because it will hurt so many," Spruill said before the measure was approved 60-34. It now goes to the state Senate.

The bill's sponsor, Del. Algie T. Howell, has said constituents were offended by the exposed underwear. He did not speak on the floor Tuesday.

The odd part: Spruill and Howell, also a Democrat, are both black.

--NOOOO... We like the thong thing!

TiVo and The Blue Man Group

A momentous event occurred last night. The single oldest item on my TiVo was deleted. It was a concert vid of The Blue Man Group. I finally dumped it onto a video tape. I originally recorded it last April.

I was watching the tape this morning for a few minutes to make sure it was ok. I could not help but notice the loss in fidelity from TiVo to Tape.

It was there so long because I had given away all my VHS tapes to people I had recorded things for. I need a DVD cutter, dammit! (maybe right after a hottub!)

--Of course now it's available on DVD. It figures.

The Joy of Cleaning the Garage

What is it about cleaning out and organizing the garage is so satisfying? Opening boxes, touching stuff you never normally see. Putting everything away in better order, with better labels, less junk. It's like mowing the lawn. Vacuuming the carpets.

--Fighting Entropy.

It's Superbowl Sunday.

Like millions of other hot blooded American men I will soon be heading out for a decadent Superbowl Extravaganza. Most people go to see an actual football game. I had to ask my kids at lunch today to find out who was actually playing.

I like going to Superbowl parties for other reasons. I like socializing, the food, the people. But mostly I like the commercials.

--Joes new big ass TV and HD helps...

A New Section

I had so much fun with the Haiku post yesterday I added a new section all about Haiku's I write.

There are a lot more rules to Haiku than you think. More than just 5-7-5. I will have fun with this.

--Maybe I will try painting next...

Haiku in Marty's World

I decided today that I should demand all status reports be done in Haiku. Here is the first one done by a member of my staff:

Recompiled Kernel
Infinite sadness and gloom
Must reboot system

--It is soooo Friday!

Shall we Dance?

In yet another fit of romance, I got Brenda to sign up with me for a Ballroom Dancing class! Tonight begins ten weeks of Marty exercising his Ninja like moves and reflexes!

--I hope BRs feet survive!

Another Freaky Groundhog Day...

I always hate February. It is a shitbrick of a month. All the worst things that have happened to me have always seem to happen in F'ing February.

Groundhog day has been a harbinger in the past. Weirdness always seems to happen on that day. Not Bill Murray sized Groundhog Day weirdness, but weird enough.

Today I was sitting at work whining about Star Trek: Enterprise being cancelled when I found out a guy I worked with at my last job killed himself. His daughter killed herself two days earlier. I remember him as that really tall handsome guy on the development team. I have no idea what the details are. I feel guilty because the net effect is that I have been counting my blessings. I can't believe how lucky I am.

--All this and I also discovered that the shoes are still out there, The shoes...

Movie Night at Marty's house!

When: Saturday February 12th, any time after 5pm
What: Food, Drinks, Dinner, Conversation, Movies, Madness
Who: You and people like you
Why: Life is too short to not Enjoy Movie Nights.

RSVP so I know how much food to make, dammit! We will probably be grilling chicken and having salads cause I am on my new "Stop Eating Like a Pig"
diet.

--See you there!

It was a tough Monday

Monday this week was filled with bad news.

My Brother got laid off at work. I have two friends in severe relationship Hell. Another friend is pregnant and doesn't want the world to know. I got to the gym late and I slept like shit.

--I'm done.