Friday, June 30, 2006

Okay, we are now in the land of the surreal

Google images of Bush, Koizumi and Graceland.

DO IT!

NOW!

TRUST ME!!!

The story in itself is rather odd, but I just feel the whole thing is a convergence of pop culture that Quiz Bowl Trash question writers live for.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Da-da-da-dee-dah---dee da da....

He's back, and the movie is looking like a winner...

The first Superman came out the year I was born, 1978. The franchise is as old as I am, and while III was weak (though it helped set up a great plot point in Office Space and IV sucked, I still liked I and II.

Now the franchise has been reborn, they've kept the John Williams theme (thank God) and it looks like a good cast. I hope to get the UMBC Mafia out to see it this weekend. If they can't make it, I'll go alone.

I dunno why I'm such a sucker for this character. Perhaps it's the kick-ass theme song?

Monday, June 26, 2006

Rain Rain Go Away-Holy Crap! It's Larry King!

A wet and rainy weekend has been enjoyed by all.
Friday night was Nats at O's with various members of the UMBC Quiz Bowl Mafia. I'd call it UMBC Gang, but there have been some marriages into the "family" since we all became friends (just like how Carlo started working for the Corleones once he married Connie.)

So it rained this weekend, but not during Friday's game, or during Sunday's game. I had done the leg-work to get tickets for those who wished to attend Friday which the O's won. Then Sunday my younger brother Ben got me into his company's luxury suite. There was an extra ticket so I invited Kim. And lo and behold who was sitting next to us?
LARRY KING!



He's the guy standing up in the multi-colored shirt. Kim took the photo. WTG Kim with the camera phone when we needed it!
I also geeked out and called The Wacky Neighbor.

It continues to rain. Much gnashing of teeth during the drive home tonight. Roads flooding...not a good thing.

Friday, June 23, 2006

Sports, Medicine, and History

Sports:
The US lost to Ghana in the World Cup and we have been eliminated from the tournament. Great! Now we can get back to covering the sports that this country has embraced; Baseball, doping scandals and NFL Football (training camps start next month.)
Also enjoyed the O's 2-1 win over the visiting Nationals with the gang. Granted it was the Nats, a struggling team, but still a win is a win. Also the stadium was a sellout and we got a good wave going during the late innings.

Medicine:
Had a Dr's appointment today. (FYI, I have rheumatoid arthritis so I have to go to the Dr's every three or four months for a check-up and to have bloodwork done.) I need to lose 26 lbs. Sigh, so that's my summer project.
My relitive who was told they have cancer now does not. It was something else giving that impression during the tests. A biopsy proved otherwise. WHEW!

History:
I have a couple of irons in the fire right now for the B&O RR Historical Society. One I'll know about by July, the other two are longer range.

Busy busy busy.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Uh-oh...and the rest of the weekend's news

First the Uh-oh:
North Korea is going to test launch a long range ballistic missile that could reach the US. Not a good thing.
In response:
Report: U.S. activates missile defense system over N. Korea test

TOKYO — The United States has activated its new ground-based interceptor missile defense system in response to a possible North Korean missile test, according to a published report.

A Washington Times story in Tuesday's editions says the United States is considering intercepting the missile if North Korea goes ahead with the test.

For the full Washington Times report click here.

The U.S. missile defense system is described in the article of being made up by 11 long-range interceptor missiles, including nine deployed at Fort Greeley, Alaska, and two at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

The system was switched from test to operational mode within the past two weeks, the officials said.

The report quotes unnamed U.S. officials as saying two Navy Aegis warships are patrolling in waters off the Korean peninsula and would be among the first sensors that would trigger the use of interceptors.

A senior Bush administration official is quoted as saying that an option being considered is to shoot down the Taepodong-2 missile.

The report came after Pyongyang declared Tuesday it is free to conduct missile tests despite a self-imposed moratorium, saying it is not bound by prior agreements and that outsiders have no right to criticize its actions.


Okay now I have to admit, it would be pretty cool if the damn thing worked and we slapped that missile down. It would be a new level of, "Knock it off or we'll knock it off for you."
However, if it fails we look like schmucks.
What to do...what to do...
Eh, what the hell, go for it boys! I feel lucky!

Now for the rest of the weekend's news:
Had an archiving session this weekend, all went well.
Father's day I got dad a RR book he had wanted.
And now I'm back to the drag. Fortunately there's a ballgame Friday! Booyah!

Monday, June 12, 2006

News from the world.

Good: I got into Drexel's Internet based MLS degree program!

Bad: A family member has cancer.

Meh: Ben Rothlesberger got into a nasty wreck today. The Brilliant Quarterback of the Steelers wasn't wearing a helmet. He has a broken nose, jaw and a multitude of other injuries. I know it's crass and hugely awful karma, but the Steelers may as well start thinking up some good promotions. They ain't going back to the big dance this year. Thanks Ben! I'm sure the Browns, Bengals and Ravens are gonna send you some nice cards and flowers, you single handedly improved their playoff chances 25%.

Stuff I really don't care about but post for comments: USA lost it's world cup match to the Czech Republic. YAWN. Who's playing baseball on ESPN tonight?

Thursday, June 08, 2006

New York City...

Monday afternoon I took Amtrak from DC to NYC for an EPA Conference in lower Manhattan. I have returned this evening.

As I was working I didn't get to spend a lot of time sightseeing, but I did take some time Tuesday to walk around town.

Monday was spent getting into the hotel, getting dinner in Tribeca and then sleeping off my kinked up back. I had a bad seat on the way up. OW!

Tuesday was work followed by a walk down Broadway to Wall street. I saw Wall St. Kinda underwhelming. It's better if they paid Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen to re-enact scenes from the movies of the same name there for ambiance.

After Wall St. I turned to walk to the WTC site. I got there and saw the pit. If the real estate wasn't so valuable I'd say let it be. Every kid in the US needs to see it as it appears now. A hole, no a wound in the city. I went by Co 10 and saw the plaque to the men lost there. They were one of the first on the scene as they were across the street from WTC itself. I have to admit I almost broke down crying in the street there. I walked around the three sides of the site that are accessible and then went up Greenwich to Tribeca again for dinner. I had another excellent meal (sautee'd clams over linguine). Then back to the hotel. I watched the Red Sox blow it against the Yanks. Dammit!

Wednesday was work and then the train home. Better ride down. But a late night. Again, I am so very very tired.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

So very tired...

Tired...must not sleep...must Blog...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Heh, seriously I am wicked tired.

Today was the big research trip to the MD Historical Society. It was ok, I won't have the copies I had wanted to take with me on the train Monday, but I'll get them. That's a start. And I'm going to have to go back. I'll need significantly more time to decipher the handwriting there. Argh.

So I was there from 11 to 4. Took a brief lunch. Went to Borders, went to Brunswick and ate dinner at the MARC parking lot listening to NPR and watching the CSX yard crew there put a train together. (Yes, I AM that much of a train nerd.) Then home. So it's been a busy day. A good day though. I'm happy.

However I did not get a new book to read on the train. I'm gonna have to remedy that tomorrow or Monday.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Randomness

Is that a real word, or is it like "Strategery?"

Anyhow random things on my mind:

My supervisor/co-worker's last day is tomorrow. We are going out to a sit down lunch. Hopefully it won't be pouring as we will be walking. I'm happy for her but a bit disappointed. The contract went into flux and now I don't know what the hell I'm getting into. I only know that some time in the future my paychecks will be from Lockheed Martin.

Saturday I'm going on a research jaunt to the Maryland Historical Society

I'm going to New York Monday! Huzzah! First big train trip since Chicago in 2004. Hopefully the Northeast Corridor will NOT lose power. BTW...here is my favorite shot from my pictures of Chicago:



Yes that baseball is in flight. Took me 10 shots go get that.

So Saturday will be spent making many copies of the papers of one Ross Winans. Look him up on Google. Said copies will be going with me to New York and I'll work with them on the train. Hopefully being able to write during the three and a half hours up and back. But I'll probably spend a lot of my time looking out the window.

Also I've put a profile on an internet personals site. Is this desperation or merely adapting to the new social impact of the internet? I think that if it works I'm adapting if it fails it's desperation.