Too Much Time Part III

This edition starring not only this guy, but you also.

Note: You should click on the "you also" link and try it out for a while before clicking on the "this guy" link and appreciating how much time you wasted.

If you still have time, go to iTunes and check out episode #23 of the Ask A Ninja video podcast (sorry for no direct link - too lazy).

And thanks, Jason and Cory and Katie and all others who've expressed condolences.

Crap Happens

Jon, I feel for you. I know how it is to lose a beloved vehicle due to someone else's negligence. It kind of sucks. I know this all too well:














Y'know what really bites about the whole thing is that your car (like mine above) was probably completely paid off. Now, like me, you'll have to go out onto the market and deal with a car dealer and possibly go into debt for an automobile. I hate buying cars and I've done it enough to have really good reasons not to like it.

Anyway, Jon, from one wreck recipient to another, I totally understand your plight. Good luck on finding another vehicle.

Ta-Ta Ta

Honest.

Last night as I was driving home I thought about how I needed to get a new car sometime. Then I thought to myself that I would just put off buying a new car as long as possible. I thought, "I'm gonna drive this car into the ground." Well, what I meant by that was that I wanted to drive it until it would cost more to fix it when something major went out than it would be to buy a better car - you know, just use the thing right up - and then get a new car.

As it turns out, my car was indeed driven into the ground, although not by me.

It all happened early this morning about 8:30 or so. I was peacefully sleeping through my alarm, so I didn't hear the neighbor across the street ring the doorbell to let us know that some guy had hit my car which had been parked on the street in front of our house.

Spot was the only one in the vehicle at the time. As you can see from the picture, he was traumatized. As far as I know, he hasn't recovered at all. The fact that he has, as long as I've had him, always appeared traumatized doesn't change my opinion that the accident shook him up pretty badly. I'm just glad he didn't sustain any bodily damage.

As you can see here, there is not much hope for the Jingly-mobile. Now I'm minus a set of wheels.

The Parable

Matthew 24:32-33:
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.



Need I say more?

Space Shuttle Atlantis

If you have ever wondered what it looks like to be launched into space, check out this page. To view the super cool launch video, click on the "Video from Atlantis' Left Booster Rocket" and sit back and enjoy a really, really cool ride. They take you from launch, which is surprisingly fast, all the way through SRB jettison through splashdown of the SRB from the point of view of a camera mounted on the SRB itself. Keep in mind that when they jettison the boosters, they have passed through 200,000 feet MSL (Mean Sea Level.) That's over 37 miles in the air. This is seriously one of the coolest videos I've ever seen. I so love the work that NASA does. I don't know about y'all, but I want to fly on the Space Shuttle. That would be so freaking cool!

Too Much Time Part II

Pen spinning.

David Bowie wannabe.

Sand art. (this one isn't really, a "too much time" - more just a talent one)

One mouth band.

And then there's this guy.

Ok, so these links are getting further and further astray from the "Too Much Time" theme (unless you count the time I'm spending to collect them for posting up here), but I thought you'd all enjoy this one.

And how would you like a digital camera that sports a few more megapixels?

Or OLED meets solar cell?

World's Largest Building

In Everett, Washington, there is a little facility we all are quite familiar with. In fact, most of us who read this forum have probably used their products on occasion. The company I am referring to is none other than the Boeing corporation. One of their main production facilities produces the fuselages (bodies) of the 747, 767 and 777 models. The production of these mammoth aircraft (especially the 747) takes place in one building. The building has 472,000,000 square feet of floor space. To put that into perspective, a typicall grocery store is between 40,000 and 60,000 square feet. Wal-Marts tend to go a little over 100,000 sqare feet. The building that produces the 747 could house, within its walls, 4720 Wal-Mart stores. That's what's required when you produce aircraft with 224-foot wingspans, such as the 747.

I was browsing around on the Internet and came across this little photo montage of the interior of the production facility where 747s are made. I found it really interesting and it made me want to visit that place to learn just a bit more about how a fueslage is produced.

Correction: I re-read some of the facts about the Boeing facility and found that it does not have a floor space of 472,000,000 square feet, but an interior volume of 472,000,000 cubic feet. This doesn't really diminish the building that much (though nearly 5,000 Wal-Marts are not going to fit inside.) It does however have the ability to house 911 basketball courts or 47 American football fields. Disneyland would also fit in it along with 12 acres of Disney's California Adventure. So, it is still a pretty impressive structure.

A Fun Game

Takes about 15 minutes.

Ever have just a little too much time on your hands? (Yeah, that second one was stop motion and legos.)

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"
-Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005)

Bureaucratese

Jon, the link in your last post was awesome! In my Engl3100 class, we talked about Bureaucratese, or inside language, that is generally very pointed at a certain group of people. The movie that you linked is a beautiful, shining example of bureaucratese. I sent it to my instructor and she emailed me back and said that she really enjoyed it. So that may be used a few times in class. :)

Also, that time machine with the luminescent droplets was incredible. I would love to see a demonstration of that live. Of course, you'd have to do it in a fairly dark room or it would be ruined. It was very awesome. Thanks for sharing.


New subject...

I was reading this guy's blog the other day and he said that BMW and Mercedes were the only worthy car manufacturers in the world and that Audi was a close second to those. He later blatantly said that the Big 3 U.S. manufacturers (Ford, GM and Chrysler) should cease and desist because their products are not worthy of being produced. Okay, personal gripe here: I really have a fascination with all things American, especially the American automobile. American car models are accessible. For instance, how many folks have been able to purchase a Buick Electa versus how many folks have been able to buy a Mercedes-Benz C Class? BMW and Mercedes are premium cars -- not accessible. And on top of that, the Electra was a nice car. It was comfy and rode smooth and was very well suited for long drives. The last time I rode in one of those Euro-barges, it was nice inside, but not intended for long drives. They're commuter cars. Also, have you ever seen how BMWs and Mercedes rust? It's awful! You'd think with all that German engineering, they could engineer some better rust protection.

Anyhow, I hate to bring that personal sidenote into a public forum, but it's just been bothering me for a couple of days. Americans can make good products. We understand the clientelle that we cater to. I just don't like this "Foreign only" mentality.

Ta Ta!

Today's

...fun vid.

Of course. We understand perfectly.

emiT

That is, Time, but backwards.

Check it out, yo.

And if you like Rube Goldburg machines, you should like this.

Art, anyone?

Fun in the water.

Ahhh

This morning my boss discovered the funniest site on the internet. At least all of us here couldn't stop laughing. The more you read, the funnier it gets.

Please, friend, feel welcome to read the AhhhMuse site. It brings joy to you, now.

Adendum: Defense 2
(Fun mindless game)

And also check this one out: comBOTS

If you want you can pit your skilz agin my bots:
26298AE24FF6B4ACE82746307B97DD82408D1F3D7A03FB0B552

or

092644C9051CF28B613D8A807AB0CA2AE6ACDC88500802177

or

3A2644C9051CF28B61B58D803965F7E2323D7782104CF6895A27031B
Just paste the string into the bot when you're selecting the opponents in compete under the add-a-bot (the one on the end).