Fighter Pilot vs. Alien Invaders

I was really hoping for Clutch Cargo.

No no, you'd want Cmdr. Ed Straker.

Don't worry. We've had a non-aggression pack with the Venusians ever since the Maxwell Montes conference of '74.

Well, that's what I heard.

Obviously I am hopeful that a new director can help NASA regain focus. They do hard things over there, and have some great people. The question is whether a person needs to be an expert in the inner workings of an organization in order to be an effective manager? Is it really necessary to know all the secret handshakes and technical minutia to be a strong leader?

My gut reaction is that he answer is no. There really are certain characteristics of a good manager that can work across organizations. And, despite some civilian biases against them, there is good reason to be optimistic that a military officer is in a strong position to do so.

I've been in orbit since last night when KINGMAKER was voted as number eight best thriller published in 2008.

great kits yesterday and today.

at the end of the article, it mentions that extending the life of the shuttle (to avoid relying on russia) would cost 3 billion a year.

PLEASE. JUST. DO. IT.

Well done Brag!! *confetti* :-)

It's not necessary LALurker. The Russkies are very reliable commercial partner. Just ask any Gazprom customer.

Congratulations Brag!

Thanks to Joel for sharing this very interesting story. Surely Griffin isn't surprised that someone else gets his appointment. I agree with RD that it doesn't always take an insider to run an agency. In fact, sometimes an outsider's perspective can really help.

I must ask, what is it with Venusians? Why prepare for a Venusian attack? Poor things. I say we should be worrying about the attack of the gas giants from Jupiter, riding in on their giant space whales. How's a fighter pilot going to help us there? Maybe we should be looking for an admiral.

Life on Mars? LIFE AS WE, ON EARTH, UNDERSTAND IT TO BE! Are we so arrogant as to think our lifeform(s) is the only possible form in the universe? "You must have water for life!" LIFE AS WE UNDERSTAND IT TO BE! These people need to think outside of the box.

Never mind the Venusians. How will he deal with this guy:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/31/Marvinthemartain.jpg

Congrats, Brag. I did my part for you.

Excellent news, Brag.

Great news for you, Brag.

"I think we can all agree that, if a highly decorated former fighter pilot takes over at NASA, we will all be much safer in case of an alien invasion."

I'm not so sure, Joel. After all, our track record on this question appears to be 0-1 (not counting sci-fi movies). I refer, of course, to the case of Capt. Thomas Mantell v. UFO, on Jan. 7, 1948, over Kentucky, which, as I'm sure you now recall, is one of the "Big Three" UFO cases of all time. Seems there was this big UFO floating over Ol' Kentuck, and the Air Force dispatched Mantell, a decorated WWII pilot, and a couple of other fighter jocks in their P-51 Mustangs to chase it down. The others turned back at about 22,000 feet, but Mantell kept going, despite lack of an oxygen mask. (Well, that's what they *want* you to think, bwahahahahaha.) Mantell then crashed and died. Some say he was just chasing Venus, others say it was a weather balloon--the Ol' Weather Balloon story. Of course, we know that dastardly UFO shot him down, poor guy.

If Gration takes the helm of NASA, I for one would want to be damn sure his Mustang has an oxygen mask. You can never be too careful chasing UFO's yanno. I think Iraq and the unarmored Humvees have taught us all the folly of having improper equipment.

Personally, I've thought from the git-go that the space shuttles ought to have at least a couple of 50-calibers mounted in the nose. (And I'm *very* concerned abiout their maneuverability in a dogfight.) But that's just me; NASA never pays any attention to any of my ideas. You can't be too careful up there, you know. But would NASA listen? Noooooooooooooooo...

Given our abysmal track record during the 1940s, 50s and 60s, I think if I was an alien invader, I'd disguise my spacecraft to look just like an Army weather balloon. How diabolical is that? We are sooooooo defenseless against fake Army weather balloons it's pathetic.

I'm thinking of writing my Congressman abiout this. Where's my darn crayons when I need them?

Yeah well, British media (BBC, This is London, Guardian, Mirror) are also screaming that Thomas Harriot deserves *far* more credit than he's been given:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7827732.stm

But papers at the West Sussex Record Office show that Harriot drew images of the Moon several months earlier [than Galileo].

And Dr Allan Chapman, a science historian at Oxford University, said Harriot's composite drawing of the Moon - produced in 1612 or 1613 - marked "the birth of modern cartography".

"Thomas Harriot was not only the first person ever to draw an astronomical body with a telescope on 26 July 1609, he rapidly developed to become an absolutely superb lunar cartographer," he said

"There weren't equivalent lunar drawings to be done for another 30 years.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23611609-details/Heavens+above,+Galileo+was+beaten+by+a+Londoner/article.do

But as celebrations begin for the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's achievements, it has emerged that the Tuscan may have been beaten to the first such views of the universe by a Londoner. Experts say Thomas Harriot started sketching the moon on 26 July 1609 - at least four months before Galileo - from his base in the grounds of Syon House, Isleworth. Today astronomers led by Sky At Night presenter Sir Patrick Moore called for Harriot to be credited as the father of modern astronomy.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2009/jan/14/thomas-harriot-galileo-moon-drawings

Alison McCann, an archivist at the West Sussex Record Office: "Galileo was very good at self-publicity but Harriot wasn't interested. He didn't publicise his work and this is why few have heard of him."

Galileo was hard up and in search of fame and fortune, but Harriot, who had money but also two friends in the Tower of London for political crimes, had no wish to draw attention to himself.

If I believe the poised and understated article Joel pointed at it may be a microbiologist that NASA needs.
Andromeda strain anyone?

Little known factoid: Harriott was also an exobiologist/veterinarian who wrote a series of stories and books about space aliens, called "All Wookies Great and Small." The BBC made a series out of it, I think.

I could be wrong.

I probably am wrong.

That's Harriot's fault for not publishing his work. We can all see from today's boodle that it is the braggarts (or Braguines) of the world who get recognition for their accomplishments, not the quiet ones who don't shamelessly self-promote.

After all, I don't see any kudos coming my way for MY book's being higher on the bestseller list than Brag's. Is that because such a book doesn't exist, or simply because I haven't told you all about it?

History will tell whose book is first, but it may take a few centuries.

It doesn't feel wrong.

But it probably is.

I get these transmissions in my head...

I need a transmission in my head. I could upshift when I need to converse with someone who is my intellectual superior (if I ever meet such a character:)) or I could downshift to try and explain some of the president's mistakes to him...

I saw that show, Mudge! The Wookies' pets were electric sheep.

BREAKING NEWS!!! This just in: the Official Obama Canine of Choice will be...

...either a Portugeuse Water Dog, or a Labradoodle.

I have questions. Several questions. They all begin with "What the...?"

Hey, at least it's not a Cockersh1tzu or a BerMouChihua (Bernese Mountain Chihuahua).

(I just love saying "BerMouChihua" over and over again.)

Good thing Libby can't read, 'Mudge, or there would be 100 pounds of umbrage covered in fur snarling at you. EWWWWWW.

LOL, Yoki.

Labradoodle. This is what comes from failure to teach canine abstinence ("Just say 'Woof!'") in obedience schools. I blame liberal permissive veterinarians. And Weingarten.

And anyway, who gets to decide it is "Labradoodle"? Whassamatta with Pootriever?

OK, never mind on that one.

Let me guess; a Bermese dame and a Chihuahua sire.

"I didn't feel no nothing" she said afterward.

or Poodrador.

Combing confetty off my hair.

Thanks for the congrats, everybody. :o)

Dogue de Yorkshire.
Great Havanese. (a "Jack Special")
Spitzbull

LOL, Shriek.

A friend of mine has a Labradoodle. He is one funny dog, a scream, but totally crazy and high energy. I can't imagine such a dog in the White House. *No* decorum.

Wow, I can't imagine a Labradoodle in the White House either. Talk about putting the historic breakables in danger.

I'm just glad they aren't considering a Terrier like the one I own. Having a first pet that snarls at strangers might put visiting dignitaries off.

Of course, my dog also greets friends with great enthusiasm as well. She will often spontaneously pee in excitement.

But this might not go over too well either.

Hey, look, it's better than a purebreed! It's two purebreeds in one! So let's charge more for what most people call a mutt and let them think it's some sort of superpurebreed!

Aren't the Venusians the blue-skinned hot chicks who wear bikinis as part of their battle gear?

If so, I surrender.

...And this just in from NASA/Goodard, as Joel predicted: Mars needs Beano. (Methane discovery confirmed.)

from the story: "Today's findings confirm that discovery and describe intense, recurring, but relatively brief releases that are consistent with either biological or active geological origins."

Sounds like Chili Night at my house.

OK, so Gration gets to play the Bill Pullman part; who gets to be Will Smith?

Oh, how about a LaBoodle?

What a funny bunch this Boodle is.

Where would you stick the batteries in an electric sheep?

In the ewe-drive.

The exuberant Bebunk opines: "Life on Mars? LIFE AS WE, ON EARTH, UNDERSTAND IT TO BE! Are we so arrogant as to think our lifeform(s) is the only possible form in the universe? "You must have water for life!" LIFE AS WE UNDERSTAND IT TO BE! These people need to think outside of the box."

Good idea. This is the kind of fresh thinking needed by those of us who work professionally in the field. We are blinkered by our actual knowledge. Please post your concept for a detection strategy for this unknown, outside-the-box, outré physiology, and I will see if we can work it into a functional instrument concept. Generally, this kind of thing (pioneering a novel detection strategy with sufficient reliability for space flight) will cost of order a few hundred million dollars, so please be prepared to put a little extra in your next mailing to the IRS.

*Tim - I would settle for just waiting for "them" to contact "us."

DLD

Wow, what an arch and sweetly sacrastic reply, SciTim.

Ewe-drive, very funny. Scottynuke, you now know better than to get Mudge thinking about ov(ar)ian matters.

Labradoodles depend on the breeder, but yes, any healthy young large dog is very high energy and needs training.

The real advantage of a shaggy dog is going to be that it will be professionally groomed and bathed-- a LOT.

You can also have and SHOW a poodle in dreadlocks (they're called corded), I think, but that takes time and washing/drying is a PITA for those dogs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petsofme/3009626852/

My personal take on 'Doodles that they don't have anything particular in temperament that a well-bred Standard poodle won't. The mixture was originally developed in Australia for the purpose of service dog work, hoping to get the hypoallergenic poodle coat in a short version. Unfortunately labradoodle coats come out all types, really.

I've seen some nice Standards working as service dogs.

Portuguese water dogs (PWDs) are a rarer breed related to the Poodle, but never clipped like the poodle. I've seen a couple, they seem saner than the labradoodles I've seen.

Very nice, Tim.

Does the water just have to be liquid? How much pressure do we think life can endure under?
Enquiring minds want someone to look it up for them.

I believe that Ted Kennedy has two PWDs.

"Enquiring minds want someone to look it up for them."

Story of my life, Boko. I'm the someone, BTW...

:-)

Cur wrote:
Little known factoid: Harriott was also an exobiologist/veterinarian who wrote a series of stories and books about space aliens, called "All Wookies Great and Small." The BBC made a series out of it, I think.

I could be wrong.
***

Those Wookies were Virginians.

In 1588 Harriot published an abstract of his extensive Chronicle [now lost] as A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia--the first book in English about the New World...

Whatever happened to Collies?

I scan the local classifieds every once in a while for them but never see any listed. I had a Collie when I was a kid (well, she had me, so to speak... I think she thought I was her pup) and I'd love to find another. We got "Penny" from a shelter when she was maybe 6 months old and I was about 2 years old and we spent the next 13 years watching each other's back. Heck, she saved me from a killer rooster once.

Best. Dang. Dog. Evar.

But seriously... is it just that certain breeds go out of style? Or is there something more sinister going on here? A Jack Russel Terrier plot to brainwash us into thinking small, yipping, jumping dogs are better than larger breeds that can double as a pony in a pinch? I may be partial to Collies since I grew up with one, but they're about as loyal a dog you'll ever find and are very protective of kids -- traits you'd think would make them more popular. Think about it... if it weren't for Lassie, Billy would still be stuck down that well.

I dunno... just thinking out loud and waxing nostalgic today since it's too dang cold to do much else (and wishing I had a big furry Collie to keep my feet warm right now).

Boko, ixnay on the ater-way essure-pray talk, please. I'm old and on diuretics.

Cur is too much like Curly, and Mudge is no stooge. Well, not on most days. ;) Besides, who'd be Shemp? Larry? Moe? Oh wait, I might know those answers.

Something else I always get confused about...was Pocohantas the Wookie, or was it John Smith? Or maybe John Warner? Who's the wooker?

Martooni, I grew up with a collie/shepherd, a famous dog and the smartest one I have ever had, now I have a shepherd/collie/husky - full of life, dumb as you get but a great foot warmer.

Quite a few collies in the neighbourhood, this is a dog neighbourhood, most house have one - feel sorry for the few who do not as there is normally at least one dog barking outside during the day/evening.

(1) I feel guilty for being mean to Bebunk. However, the point stands: how, exactly, would you propose to detect life as we don't even remotely imagine it, when we find it extraordinarily difficult to detect life as we think we *do* know it? The difficult, we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.

(2) It was "Timmy" who got stuck down the well, not "Billy." Accident-prone little snot.

(3) Mars/methane press conference over, press release distributed. As it happens, I have been rather closely aware of this work... the critical issue is that we no longer need to wonder whether we might eventually be able to detect methane on Mars. Now, we are at the phase of trying to interpret it and trying to concoct experiments that will tell us more about the source. It is a virtual certainty that the source is somewhere underground, so it won't be as simple as sending a rover with a microscope to look for microbes.

(4) Why are we looking for water as a signpost to searching for life? Because life requires chemistry (until you get to fanciful science-fictiony notions that are conceivable but not at the top of anybody's estimates of likelihood). Chemical reactions require bringing disparate chemicals into contact with each other. Water is an extremely common chemical species in the universe and is also, you may recall from high school chemistry, known as "the Universal Solvent" for very good reason. These attributes make water the odds-on favorite as a medium to enable the origin and evolution of life.

WOOB woob woob woob woob!!!

:-)

You all know I'm a bit strange, so I don't expect anyone to be alarmed by this...

With all the posts about dogs and now LiT's post mentioning the Three Stooges, some brain cells of mine that haven't spoken to each other in a while got together and gave me a tune cootie (one I don't mind having contracted)...

"I Wanna Be Your Dog", by Iggy Pop and The Stooges.

YouTube goodness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjmLsSs0xDY

bc, if you've ever wanted to work for NASA, I think I may have found your niche:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/home/LER.html

The Lunar Electric Rover concept vehicle, which will be driven in the inaugural parade.

US Airways flight from LaGuardia to Charlotte is down in the Hudson River...

I think she likes "Cur" because it is a loathsome dog.

She's lucky I've had my rabies shots.

*scratching privates, farting, drooling, and going back to sleep*

My first dog was/is a collie - I started late on the dog thing - and he's everything anyone would want in a dog, except hypoallergenic. Smart, obedient, eager to please, cute and very snuggly - a 65-lb lap dog. And if I lived in the White House, someone else would fun the vacuum cleaner behind him.

New kit!

Need to define what you mean by collie. The Collie proper (both Rough and Smooth) or Border/Farm/Herding collie? Rough is Lassie, Farm is Babe's friend in the movie.

EYE have a Rough Collie, and yes, they have gone out of fashion. When I was a kid they were a dime a dozen because of Lassie.

Timmy, Billy, Beavis, Butthead... the kid was just a prop. "Who's Lassie gonna save from the well this week?" "Hey kid! Wanna make five bucks?"

Kinda like when they cast a black guy in a horror film -- they always do and *everybody* knows he's going to be the first to get killed off (except for Denzel Washington in "Blade") and he's lucky to get two lines to speak before the inevitable "Aaaaaaaahhhhhhrrrrrgghhhh!". Why is that, anyway? Why can't the blonde cheerleader be decapitated in the opening credits for a change?

I fear the methane is just an integral part of the Martian core or mantle or whatever it's called. I wish it is from life, however.

My attempts to think about all that are limited by my chemistry. But I am all over redox reactions, and I know that CO2 is an oxidizer. My primitive attempt at an idea came out as, we should look for some CO, carbon monoxide. If a primitive form could find and eat carbon by oxidizing it with CO2, then maybe CO would be the waste.

This is what my comments about, and links to, "2000 cows" was all about a week or so ago:
http://mainlymartian.blogs.com/semijournal/2004/03/methane_and_thu.html

That was the first post about it, and it's old. Later posts are even more up to date.

I owned a collie mix as a kid. Great, but she didn't blow her coat fully and suffered horribly in the virginian summers, not to mention all the grooming. However, she was dead sweet to all smaller animals (except for those dastardly squirrels).

Border collies are more in style now compared to rough collies, thanks to "Babe," although that peak has passed. They're not the best pets unless you have real work for them to do, and some can suffer from real obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Shelties are cute, but not really bred for a highly social temperament at this moment.

There is a smooth-coated version of the rough called the smooth collie. Alas, they don't quite look right to me.

I think my dog is a bit obsessive-disordered, Wilbrod. She likes her water dish "just so" and is a bit nervous (Must - chew - self) and bored when we don't get our exercise. Which we did today! The dastardly ducks spooked her a bit, as she had never met ducks before. We both got a long walk around a lake.

You can learn a bunch of neat stuff over at NattyGeo.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/index.html

I knew Howie Mandell was right.
"Rainmaking Bacteria Ride Clouds to 'Colonize" Earth?'"

First evidence of the "Blue Angel" phenomena
"Alien" Atmosphere Helped Unfreeze Early Earth"

Good news, the Queen Mother isn't dead, she just wandered off.
"Queen's Mummy Found In 4,300- Year-Old Pyramid"

Not only is the Anne Coulter gag just too easy I'm not in the mood to deal with the Venonous Giant Shrew Anti-defamation League.
"VIDEO: Venomous "Giant Shrew" Caught on Film"

From Subsequent Boodling:

"...Re. the New NASA guy and Modern Major General Johnathan Scott Gration (a Major General, and a three-namer? Oh, my.)--

my sources cannot confirm the rumor that he insists everyone address him by his nickname, "Red Five."

I wonder what the Chinese and Russians think of Red Five's appointment? Seems like the kind of guy you might want in place if you were going to merge the Civilian and Military S[p]ace Programs, particulary the Manned Programs.

More later, I think.

bc

Posted by: -bc- | January 15, 2009 6:00 PM"

bc

May I have your attention?May I have your attention, please? This is a Boodle Bunker Emergency. I repeat, we are currently experiencing a Boodle Bunker Emergency. Over on the next kit I have run up the red Severe Storm and Troll Warning and order a total evacuation to the bunker. It's getting pretty ugly up there.

We may need to take attendence...did everybody make it? If we have to, I lead a search party to go back to search for survivors. I see bc, Jumper, Boko, Wilbrod already here...

Yoki's brought chilled Gewurtztraminer, a pineapple and a piece of really fabulous Camembert, and I've brought some country ham, per Wilbrodog's request. Have Ivansmom and slyness gotten here yet?

I just went back and provided covering fire for Padouk. He was surrounded and cut off, and taking a lot of incoming. And the damned fool was standing up and firing back! Gotta admire his courage...but still, thank goodness he had his kevlar on.

Oh, it's ugly up there. really ugly. I think it's gonna take us a couple days to clean up after the "All Clear" sounds.

OK, who's deal is it?

Yikes!

http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2403

Guys, I've been knocking on the bunker door for ten minutes. Who changed the combination without warning me?

Can't stop laughing over the boodle bunder emergency.

Wild over on the new kit.

Just attended Parents (and students) night at the high school my oldest has chosen to attend. She had the opportunity to attend my high school but chose to go to the rival school (public system vs catholic). A wise choice for her, leaving all her friends but the school will fit her perfectly a plethora of clubs, activities, good academic courses, arts and sports programs. She is walking on air tonight.

Well after all the ugliness next door, I will lighten the atmosphere, thought I would show you a sample of our high tech Canadian Space agency - via Rick Mercer. Top that NASA :-)

http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2403

D'oh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBBUq-mEoyw&feature=channel

Great cartoon by the way DNA girl.

::Wiping filth from eyes, shaking debris from hair::

I made it! Had to army crawl the whole way, but I made it!

Hard to believe we share the same DNA as some folks, eh? I especially love it when the comments turn sexual. Very high-brow.

Was at a funeral last week ... a freakin' funeral! ... when a rich, old, white person opined that the next four years are going to be hard for "us." In the context of the conversation, she was clearly commenting on race. Intense! Being good Icelanders (and Lutherans, to boot) we ignored her.

Thanks, Yoki. I was out there all alone for twenty minutes. I had to pretend to be an O'Reilly Report fan just to keep from being lynched.

Wow it really is crazy over there. I usually like crazy but,not vicious crazy. we are already starting to fill up for Tuesday's big events.I hope the weather gets a little warmer.I remember Clinton's first,Mom and I were cold and it was warmer then it is now.Hot chocolate and coffee may be a big sellers and well as hot,gloves,earmuffins and hand warmers....

Brag's flying solo out there.

Airplane Ditching in Spanish.

Capt: What da madre is going on?
CP:Los engines she don't work.
Capt: Americanos engines no digest turkeys.
CP: We need Caribe rutas, this water too cold. In Caribe no turkeys.
Capt:This airplane is French.
CP: Bon Dieu, I speak le wrong langage.
Capt: We only have a few seconds to decide in which language we're gonna crasj this avion.
Kersplash! ( in German)

Posted by: Braguine | January 15, 2009 8:56 PM

Since I'm among imaginary friends, I'll post this since it made me smile today. You've heard me talk about the Knitters for Obama internet group I belong to. We got mentioned in a USA Today article:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-01-14-service_N.htm
"In Chicago, Knitters for Obama and the Forefront Stitchers will present the University of Chicago Medical Center with more than 200 caps for cancer patients, in honor of Madelyn Dunham, Obama's grandmother."

I didn't have time to contribute to this effort because of Christmas, etc, but I made socks and hats and scarves for homeless veterans earlier in the year. And we are gearing up for the next charity knitting (and crocheting) effort.

They all sound the same!

I'm bringing hot chocolate and lots of little, homemade marshmallows, do a quick tour, wave hello like the Queen (tiara'd, of course) and head to bed so I'm awake for jury duty tomorrow.

Gomer, bad day?

Brag, congratulations.

'Night all!

Whew, I made it.

Ugly out there...wow. I mean, I knew they existed, I just didn't know they were so, so, so close to us.

Sharing DNA, indeed.

Present!

Even I in my Yoki-Warrior guise had to retreat.

Those people are nuts and vicious and really not nice.

Mudge, Thanks for he direction/rescue. I think Yoki is lurking back and forth as well.
I would tend to agree with all y'all, it got ugly out there today.
RA
P.S. I hope you don't mind a part time lurker ducking into the bunker...

Whew!! Yoki. Glad you made it.

ra, you may be part-time lurker, but you a Boodler-entire.

You're welcome, ra, we're always happy to add to our merry band. I hope you'll join us in less, ah, controversial times also.

Howdy, y'all! I'm here. I was off watching the Boy fence - Thursday night is open bouting - so came back to the Great Disturbance. Geez. Some of those people are nuts while others just aren't nice. As we say here, where are their mothers?

I find that I can bear most normal Obama slights with much more equanimity - you know people around here are thinking them all the time - because I just say to myself, "We won." Chuckle.

It is with great regret I report that whatever has been deviling me all week is showing some signs of being, if not a cold, certainly cold-like. Bah. Humbug. I tell you, I should have invested in Kleenex or Puffs. At least every time we went through a box I'd think of it as money in my pocket.

How was the fencing? And what does the Boy use? Rapier, epee?

Ohmigosh, somebody needs to go get LostinThought, she's stuck over there.

Yes, Ivansmom. We did.

And now Wilbrodog wants out of the bunker: call of nature. I just hope a -40 wind chill doesn't hit him in the tenders.

(I'm NOT going out.)

Yoki,
I got the joke. :) No worries. I just got a snort out of the headline quote that the geese hit the engines, and not the other way around. No need to withdraw anything with this group. I love the 'boodle and comment from time to time, when I feel like I can contribute. Normally I feel like my IQ jumps a few points every time I visit. Today I'm feeling a bit flummoxed by the vitriol over on the "dark side".
RA

Thanks, Yoki. The Boy fences foil. He did very well tonight. It was just friendly bouting. He won against his age group and lost against the older teens and adults, but got some touches (as we say) on everyone. I used to sit and read through it, then I decided to pay some attention and begin to learn how to referee. Tonight several of the older guys I've known for years were fencing so I had to watch them.

Now it is time to pour the Boy into bed.

My tenders are back
and I don't want to think about
their temperature....

-Wilbrodog-

Such a shame. Joel shares a fab experience with us, and look what happens.

The thermostat's been on night setting for almost an hour, I need to go find a warm spot in the bed. G'night everybody.

You know how when you’re not feeling well sometimes your brain scrambles things a bit and you end up feeling surreal (or maybe that’s just me), well, between the plane crash and the garbage being strewn in the other Kit, my optimism about feeling fine in the morning is dimming. What is it with *those* people anyway? They make no sense, they spew hatred and descend into R-rated rants, they are more than sore losers. I hope the Secret Service has a huge contingent of security around Obama.

I will try to concentrate on the heros today, both ordinary and extraordinary. ‘Night Boodle.

Posted this over there, then saw slyness (thanks slyness, who pointed me to Milton, but I still feel cheated out of that Latin class) and realized I hadn't posted here (bug-filled computer, soon to be replaced). So here goes again.

Holy Cannoli, what the heck was that? I had a stressful evening, figure I'll have a glass of wine, kick back, read a little boodle, smile from time to time. And I walk into that? I need to hang on to the fact that the bozos of the world don't have it together enough to actually take over. Right?

Before my evening turned sour, I saw someone [slyness? you again?] use the word pandemonium in reference to the initial reaction of the passengers. And I got lost. In thought. Big surprise. If pan is used as in slam, isn't pandemonium making fun of the demons' fortress? If pan is in the sense of all, isn't pandemonium all hell breaking loose? But what if it's pan like in a part of an iceflow...isn't that hell freezing over? Two out of three I can make work..... Considering my Catholic education, you'd think I would have taken a Latin class, got this etymology stuff down.

Okay. I've cleared my mind of the ugliness I saw earlier. Thanks for listening.

Shockingly, I still have more business calls to make. Will probably check in (here) again later. Have a happy evening all.

I took a look on the other side a few minutes ago to back skim and found it thoroughly disagreeable. So I lobbed a barb and came over here. Anyone up for a game of quarters?

I love to play games, jack. How does this one go?

As Rocky always said to Bullwinkle, "Holy smokes." Arrived in St. Paul after the smoothest drive in some time, very cold but the roads are dry and visibility great. Had to keep reminding myself to keep my eyes on the road and off the stars. I drive one long stretch through a spruce and peat bog with no lights except form the infrequent cars.

Thankfully backboodled first so I knew to scroll through most of the carp on the next kit and head for the bunker. I have some fresh out of the oven onion rye and the best stinky goat cheddar ever. Hope there's some wine left.

Toodles boodle, and sweet dreams. For those who missed it today-Eric Holder said waterboarding is torture during his confirmation hearing today. All is not right with world, yet, but we'll soon be headed that way.

One last thing-didn't see any of that phenomenal plane ditching/rescue until it was long over. Hope the flight attendants get their due in the hero worship side of things. I vow to pay more attention next time, particularly if I'm seated in an exit row.

Oops. I guess it is shove'ha'penny in different guise.

Would love a game of quarters Jack but I am off to bed hopefully for a second night of sleep with no gall bladder attack.

Bad Sneakers I agree, an incredible rescue, hope for the future with the upcoming inauguration. I feel like a child who just had their favorite toy taken away.

Think I will check in with the oldest who is still revelling in the joy of her upcoming high school years.

Stay warm all.

Yoki, it's a game using plastic cups of beer and quarters. You learn to play it (and perfect it!) in the type of places where if you stand too long in one spot, your shoes will stick the the floor. Or so I've heard.

bingo, lit. that black goo is insidious.

So tempting just changed the channel and John Mayers - Where the light is, is on a local channel - that boy can play guitar. Saw him a couple of years ago, what a great concert.

Good background music for a game of quarters.

Now I am really going to bed.

hahahaha! I did, at one time, spend time in taverns just like that. In Alberta they have little gusseted toweling covers that soak up the spilled beer. Smells *horrid.* And sticky floors.

Why did I just say this?

Evening all
just getting in about 12:15,commute home was fine,even watched part of the moonrise.That is till i got to my mountain,then dump,someone just opened up the heavens and threw a whole mess of snow down.I couldn't even see where i was driving,but haven driven these road so much I made it home.Must be a passing snow squall or something.Really cool and hard to concentrate on the road when i am looking at a million flakes falling,but it was also cool. Cold outside now 5 and inside too 56,but the fire is going again.

Whew that was fun and scarey at the same time.

Subarctic BPH Agenda Item #1: Quarters

checking in late. am amazed by the hudson plane crash. found an article that mentioned the pilot's flight experience with different types of planes and also gliders. sure came in handy. sheeesh.

'Morning, Boodle. Yikes. Just returned from taking my daughter to the bus stop; it is 12 degrees here, the coldest it's been in five years, according to the weatherpeople. Gonna be in the low single digits this time tomorrow, they say, coldest in a dozen years.

And the Obamastorm continues unabataed over at the new site, uglier than ever. It has degenerated into some unabashedly racist fried chicken jokes, so please don't go over there. I'm gonna ask Joel to put up a new kit as soon as he can. In the meantime, we can stayed hunkered down here; there's still plenty camembert, and although we finished off the gewirtraminer, the fridge has still got plenty of emergency supplies (and Johannisberg riesling). The coffee has brewed, there's warm bagels and croissants in the ready room. I propose we Dawn Patrol pilots toast with our coffee mugs a man named Chesley Sullenberger III this morning. Well done, Chesley.

Pre-coffee, pre-newspaper, "Cheers"

'morning all. A balmy -30C this am. It was upposed to be colder, so I'm happy.

The smut on the other side, sheesh. How dthose people can live with themselves? I'd need to take a shower every time I write something.

Mornin' everybody...

(thanks for the heads up, Mudge)

I think I'm going to have to burn my boots. I'm not sure what I stepped in on the other Kit, but it's foul and sticky. I'll just leave them outside the door for now.

I haven't seen the national weather maps yet, but I'm guessing that if it's -9F here, it's probably around absolute zero in the northern regions. If it wouldn't cause my ears to immediately freeze and fall off, I'd take off my hat to our Canadian and Minnesotan and Dakotan and other Northeran friends for being able to cope with this carp on a regular basis.

As I mentioned on the other kit (before stepping in the monkey poo), Little Bean has the day off from school so it's up to me to figure out how to keep her busy until Mrs. M gets home from work. She's the kind of kid who isn't satisfied with board games or dolls or any of that. It has to be a big production -- like a play with costumes and props and a big banner stretched across the living room wall.

I'm doomed.

Time for more coffee. And a stiff shot of bourbon.

Peace out :-)

Thanks Mudge for the warning, don't want to start my day reading comments like I saw last night.

It is cold this morning -17c/2F, wind is supposed to pick up bring the windchill to -34c. After today it is forecast to start to warm a little.

Have a good day everyone.

Nice story on a school in Toronto holding an Obama-thon this week.

http://www.thestar.com/article/572035

Good morning, all. It's a balmy 15 here in the Queen City. Just as predicted! Sometimes the weather folks know what they're talking about. Tomorrow, the low is supposed to be 10.

I'm glad I came here first. I don't think I'll even bother looking at the other kit.

Don't go over there, Slyness. The crazies are still there. Really ugly.

I have no problems toasting (and since it's the a.m., it will be toast) an heroic commercial pilot from Danville, Calif. Besides Mrs. Sullenberger is a fitness expert, or so California coverage says. You don't get a better California couple story than that.

Ever have one of those days when you think you're really being clever?

Like when your brother gives you a delightful dark purple wool sweater for Xmas, and you think a day with troublesome windchills would be the perfect day to take advantage of the present?

And when you think you're being color-coordinated by wearing a light-colored shirt and slacks?

Good thing I keep a lint roller at work... *L*

*hoping-we-have-a-new-Kit-pronto-so-the-sour-grapes-folks-can-find-something-else-to-complain-about-and-OBTW-it's-TGIF Grover waves* :-)

Boko suggested to nuke the comments on the Obama visit kit. I support that and if it takes out my 06:21 with it so much the better.
But holy carp, the blatantly racist vitriol is incredible.

Don't say I didn't warn you. Four (or eight) years of AntiObamaFrothing is going to make Rovestorms look like the Oxford Union.

It all reminds me of when I figured out that Little Green Footballs was just a bunch of kids. I had thought it was, you know, something actual until the realization hit.

I remember in elementary school we all had our self-important beliefs about the Presidential candidates.

Are we in bunker mode?

I just posted my take on the plane ditching in the other kit

Stay over here, Brag. It's not safe for even a vet like you out there.

According to NBC this morning, Sullenberger also held a glider license. So, lucky passengers indeed.

SCC: also holds--I believe--since I don't know for how long a glider license is issued and when Sullenberger got his and for how long it's valid.

I see Jumper is trying to lull everyone to sleep over in the other Boodle. :-)

They don't seem to be sleepy, however. *SIGH*

The thing that gets me about these drive-by posters with their canned invective is that they feel they need to actually do it.

How often do you see swarms of crazed middle-to-liberal people dumping vicious, racist, half-baked, paranoid cut-and-paste gobs of nonsense around?

And they wonder why they lost this last election in a landslide -- House, Senate, White House, not to mention all the state and local elections -- when they ran on a platform of "So we tapped your phone, imprisoned your Arab-looking neighbor without charges and no, he can't have a lawyer or a trial, you're not white enough, not rich enough, not redneck enough, not evangelical enough, not self-righteous enough for us to give a carp about you, and you're gonna burn in hell because you believe queers should be able to marry... so are you gonna vote for me or be a terrorist?"

I know I should probably just let my feelings be known, but I'm a little shy today.

I think it's that time again :-)
Show of hands please,

Who Wants to Have RD_P's Baby?
(although this time I think I'm going for Jumper)

http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=1885

Very cold, but y'all knew that. The bike-Inaug. plans are disapating.

Next door on-kit, well, close the kit and perhaps purge the comment string? Don't know what to say: the web wants to be free and sorta-permanent.

Thanks, Brag, for the detail. I have been in very cold water like that: Wolf Creek, MT in the River Runs Through It country. An inner tube (primitive snow tube) breached our straw bale wall. First you are cold to the point of pain, then you numb, then you are plucked out, then you are rewarmed, which hurts more than the first pain. You must be rewarmed slowly. Thank goodness we cannot remember specific pain.

Jumper is fighting fire with pomes. Oh, DNA-gal, the lovely, lovely and nerd-lord men of the boodle. Such crushers.

Just talked to Joel; he's gonna try and post a new kit ASAP, but is slammed by deadlines. Agrees with the necessity, though.

Loomis, I forget how long the glider license is good for; I'm thinking five years, but wouldn't swear to it. I think the point is not so much that he currently posseses a valid ticket, but that he has one in the first place, whether it is expired or not renewed, or not. It means he has a lot of experience gliding. With 20,000 hours in jets, I'm not sure he needs the additional glider time, but it never hurts, I guess. Basically it means he isn't spooked by flying in dead silence, which spooked the crap out of me the first few times I did it.

I don't want to have RDP's baby. I'll never get my figure back.

Jumper is my hero.

RIP painter Andrew Wyeth, age 91. The man was a giant, a giant. As was his father, and possibly his son. Three generations of incredible painters.

The love over here has drawn me home. My god, I'm blushing.

Well done, Jumper-- but you were like Custer at the top of the knoll over there. Have you checked yourself for wounds? Are you bleeding anywhere?

To think you held off those savages with a round of Robert Service and a round of Emily Dickinson. Jeez.

Repost some of the pomes when you like, Jumper. I'm scared to go over and see.

Oooh, Emily! Unusual canon choice.

Poem-fu. Funny.

I went back and used "find" for jumper's name. Philip Larkin, Smilac, Service, Emily, cummings, and so forth. Oh my.

I amuse myself far too much...

a lightning bug got
in here the other night a
regular hick from
the real country he was
awful proud of himself you
city insects may think
you are some punkins
but i don t see any
of you flashing in the dark
like we do in
the country all right go
to it says i mehitabel the
cat and that green
spider who lives in your locker
and two or three cockroach
friends of mine and a
friendly rat all gathered
around him and urged him on
and he lightened and
lightened and lightened you
don t see anything like this
in town often he says go to it
we told him it s a
real treat to us and
we nicknamed him broadway
which pleased him
this is the life
he said all i
need is a harbor
under me to be a
statue of liberty and
he got so vain of
himself i had to take
him down a peg you ve
made lightning for two hours
little bug i told him
but i don t hear
any claps of thunder
yet there are some men
like that when he wore
himself out mehitabel
the cat ate him

archy

I am much saddened by the death of artist Andrew Wyeth. I remember the controversy surrouding the "Helga" series.

The closest I ever got to the Wyeths, they being New Englanders removed to Pennsylvania and all, was a tour around the mid- to late 90s of the Wyeth-Hurd gallery or ranch house that belonged to Andrew Wyeth's sister Henriette and her husband, Peter Hurd, in San Patricio, New Mexico.

http://www.wyethhurd.com/family.html

My decison to linger in San Patricio at the family ranch and walk the gallery at our own pace and to stop at a great restaurant in Tinnie, where my husband had a wonderful ostrich steak for the first time, meant that we would be greatly delayed in our arrival (in the dark) at the B&B in Lincoln, New Mexico, where we had reservations and would spend the night, the historic structure that once temporarily served as a jail for Billy the Kid.

Just a tidbit more:

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20500833_ITM

Michael [Hurd] also recalled the time when his father was commissioned by Lyndon Johnson to paint his portrait, but when it was finished and sent to the President, Johnson took one look at it and said it was the ugliest piece of work he had ever seen. Peter refunded the payment to the White House Historical Association. Hurd then donated it to the Smithsonian, where it hangs today.

Mudge... thanks to your 10:21, you now owe me a cup o-java too.

Of course, my twisted brain went straight to "blue bottom" (was your mother one of them blue Venusians?) and it attempted to go into "unnatural acts" territory, but I caught it just in time and no permanent psychological damage was suffered.

Hence my second coffee fountain this morning.

Ivansdad, please avert your eyes. This is for everyone else, in preparation for Sunday:

On the first day of school a first grade teacher explains to her class that she is a Cowboys fan. She asks her students to raise their hands if they, too, are Cowboys fans.
Wanting to impress their teacher, everyone in the class raises their hands except one little girl.
The teacher looks at the girl with surprise, "Janie, why didn't you raise your hand?"
"Because I'm not a Cowboys fan," she replied.
The teacher, still shocked, asked, "Well, if you are not a Cowboys fan, then who are you a fan of?"
"I am an Eagles fan, and proud of it," Janie replied.
The teacher could not believe her ears. "Janie, please tell me why you are you an Eagles fan?"
"Because my mom is an Eagles fan, and my dad is an Eagles fan, so I'm an Eagles fan too!"
"Well," said the teacher in a obviously annoyed tone, "that is no reason for you to be an Eagles fan. You don't have to be just like your parents all of the time. What if your mom were an idiot and your dad were a moron, what would you be then?
"Then," Janie smiled, "I'd be a Cowboys fan."
------------------------------
Four football fans - a Cowboys fan, an Eagles fan, a Redskins fan, and a Giants fan - are climbing a mountain and arguing about who loves his team more.
The Redskins fan insists he is the most loyal. "This is for the Redskins!" he yells, and jumps off the side of the mountain.
Not to be outdone, the Giants fan shouts, "This is for the Giants!" and throws himself off the mountain.
The Eagles fan is next to profess his love for his team.
He yells, "This is for everyone!" and pushes the Cowboys fan off the mountain.
------------------------

A Eagles fan liked to amuse himself by scaring every Cowboys fan he saw strutting down the street in an obnoxious Blue & White shirt. He would swerve his van as if to hit them, then swerve back just missing them.
One day while driving along, he saw a priest. He thought he would do a good deed, so he pulled over and asked the priest, "Where are you going, Father?"
"I'm going to give Mass at St. Francis church, about two miles down the road," replied the priest.
"Climb in, Father. I'll give you a lift!" The priest climbed into the passenger seat, and they continued down the road.
Suddenly, the driver saw a Cowboys fan walking down the road, and he instinctively swerved as if to hit him. But, as usual, he swerved back onto the road just in time.
Even though he was certain that he had missed the guy, he still heard a loud THUD. Not knowing where the noise came from, he glanced in his mirrors but still didn't see anything.
He then remembered the priest, and he turned to the priest and said, "Sorry Father, I just missed hitting that Cowboys fan."
"That's OK," replied the priest "I got him with the door."

So here is where you have been hiding. I shoulda known.

I find it fun to try to take on the fanatics. Of course, I know it is a losing proposition. No minds will be changed. The ability of the human brain to cling to comforting narrative is legendary.

Thanks DNA_Girl for that sweet shout-out.

(And I will gladly cede primacy to Jumper! Well done.)

Let's hope that Joel manages to get a new kit up soon.

Man, oh, man ... the anti-Obama bile is depressing. I haven't been around here long enough to have seen that kind of thing very often. Jeez!

Felt a little sheepish switching into school marm mode, but felt compelled. For the life of me, I don't know why Matt Drudge doesn't log in and denounce that stuff. I am sure Joel would be ashamed if we behaved similarly.

I find it a bit ironic, Padouk, that you're always the one counseling not to feed the trolls, and I'm always the hothead who is usually the first to fire back at them. Yet you're over there trying to reason with Satan, and I'm over here refusing to engage them.

BTW ... I LUV archy and mehitabel, Jumper. Fave line (from the merry flea):

we parted each feeling
superior to the other and is not that
feeling after all one of the great
desiderata of social intercourse

HA!

Howdy y'all. RD, your logic, wit and civility are near-heroic under the circumstances. And Jumper, fighting idiocy with poetry was brilliant. Great and pointed selections, too. I'm particularly fond of the archy & mehitabel selection and will go home and re-read more this afternoon. I threw in some Ted Hughes in solidarity, but I can't keep up either the variety or the apropos choices.

It was twelve degrees here this morning again, too, but will be up perhaps to forty this afternoon. Luxury.

Those Cowboy-Eagles stories are very funny, Mudge. I'll offer Ivansdad the chance to see for himself but he may decline.

KathrynAPage (howdy!), I'm not sure I've ever seen "Drudge" and "shame" used in the same sentence. At least not in that context.

Your point is well made, Mudge, although I believe there is a difference between feeding an isolated troll and facing an onslaught.

The advice not to feed an isolated troll (advice which I ignore myself with shocking regularity) is because, strategically, if you ignore it, it will go away.

But these folks are more like a marauding horde of locusts. And when you have the entire swarm descending on you there is little you can do to stop it. They are going to continue to attack regardless until they find something else to deal with.

Besides, not all of those posting were simply intended to get us riled-up, as true trolls do. A few had a something approaching a rational point of view. Those are the ones that are worthy of being engaged - rationally and calmly.

And, of course, pointlessly.

One thing I mentioned to Joel: seeing that Drudgestorm over on the other kit just makes me appreciate all the more the nice, warm little niche we've all carved out for ourselves here on the Boodle. We're like Hobbits surrounded by Orcs.

Morning all. I see we're all still hiding out over here. Congrats to those brave souls that tried to make sense out of the senseless.
Somehow manners and just plain good sense go out the window with some bloggers. It just feels so much more comfy with the regulars raising our collective intellect, (at least mine).
Of course Mudge keeps us grounded, (insert coffee reference here) Martooni, I too have lost beverages and in one case a mouse, to bc and Mudge. (The mouse was a long time ago and it was an old one, but the Pepsi spray gummed it up.)
RA

Well, I respect your point of view, Padouk. Mine has been that it is pointless to engage a Rovestorm/swarm, wherwas I can often drive away the single marauder who has wandered into the Boodle by accident. My view is that the other kit is now so toxic no one should go there. It is salted earth, like Carthage. No point in even being over there, however noble the attempts of you and Jumper.

I don't mind single hand-to-hand combat with a troll. I mind the Custer's Last Stand suicide slaughter. Or as Kenny Rogers says...

Mudge,
Does that make Joel our Gandalf? :)

Well said, RD. RussianThistle (aka Dolphin Michael) is still over there attempting to engage some of the visitors with reason.

RIP, Circuit City...

Chapter 11 for the whole shootin' match.

*SIGH*

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/economy-watch/

Kenny Rogers? Now I get it...

For some reason I read that as Kenny Loggins and now had the title tune cootie "Footloose" doing a dance all over my brain.

Thank goodness Little Bean found my copy of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and cranked it up. She's getting to be quite good at loading the Victrola.

Gandalf is good, RA.

See, the thing is, it's no fun (for me anyway) to go over to the other kit and read that crap. I'd rather be here, enjoying the Boodle and the Boodlers.

The Boodle is "our village," and over on the other kit Cossacks and Mongol hordes are riding through the village, burning our huts and raping and pillaging. So I'd just as soon not go over there and watch, even if Jumper or Padouk or RT is standing in the square declaiming poetry or reason. It just isn't fun to read. So other than to monitor the carnage from time to time, I don't.

I don't know, there is something very brave and romantic about RD, Jumper, Weed and all making a futile gesture of defiance against the vicious multitudes.

Indeed, quite valient-hobbity of them.

Has my heart going all pitty-pat.

Thanks for the tune cootie WB_G!

Everybody was Pome-fu fighting
those cats were fast as lightning
in fact it was a little bit frightning
but they fought with expert timing...

As is your prerogative, Mudge. I just kinda like it - not the nasty comments, of course, but the mental challenge of creating a response. And not giving a diddly-damn about bruised egos makes me comfortable with going full throttle - even if I know it is pointless. It's just meaningless exercise, you know? Like trying to hit baseballs from a pitching machine.

But at some point it does lose it's appeal for me, and that point has clearly been reached.

Great Carl Douglas call-out DNAGirl. Can't get enough cheesy 70s songs.

If people need something to read at lunch today, my four-part Bush Administration post mortem is finally finished (it's what has kept me busy all week).

Start here and follow the links at the bottom.

http://livebythefoma.blogspot.com/2009/01/four-fails-prologue.html

Hmmmmm...

JA -- Gandalf
'toon -- Tom Bombadil
'Mudge -- Gimli (or Treebeard, take yer pick)
bc -- Legolas
RD_P -- Frodo
Me -- Samwise
frostbitten -- Eowyn
Wilbrodog -- Shadowfax

Feel free to pile on...

:-)

Dagnabit, where's bobsewell when we need him? I'd risk going over there just to see what he had to say.

So.. it's OK when you do it, but not OK when I do it? Because that's the message I'm getting.

Treebeard.

An interesting question, Scotty. I'm debating between Cassandra and TBG as Galadriel. And we're going to need some cross-gender assignments, because -- as has often been noted -- there just aren't enough female characters. And I don't see any of our tough Boodle-women as the stay-home-and-wait type, whether Arwen or Rosie.

No Mudge - not at all. I tried to make the distinction of strategy. But if you ever hear me discouraging you from trying to suppress a troll - please feel free to (kindly) tell me to stuff it. The important thing is that we have fun here.

Now, I need to deal with some email.

I will happily volunteer for a male role. Strider would be my choice.

Kinda thought you'd pick that, 'Mudge. :-)

Quite true, bia, I only went with the obvious selections. ;-)

Strider!!!! Excellent choice, Yoki.

So who is Golem?

'mudge, as a goyische yid you make me laugh.

Just pop next door, pick any one of those creeps and you've got Gollum.

Yello, you got a decent response from twilliamrobert over on the dark side, FYI.

I welcomed him into the secret club :-)

http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2987

Me as Tom Bombadil? It would be an honor.

It would also be fairly accurate, considering my approach to life -- laugh as much as possible (no matter who takes offense), don't fret about dirty hands and fingernails, and by all means, wear a good pair of boots.

Between Boodling and other "inside jobs" (since the workshop is now up to a whopping -2F), our kitchen sink decided to stop draining last night. Mrs. M thought I should go buy a bottle of that so-environmentally-friendly acid to burn it out, but no... I opted for taking the whole mother apart and manually cleaning all the bits and bends. I found the culprit -- a very thick, nasty, foul-smelling blob of grease that had taken up residence in the most inconvenient piece of pipe to access. But mission accomplished. We now have drainage and no animals (aquatic or land-based) were startled or otherwise damaged. I invented a few more cuss words in the process (which I'll keep to myself), but I do that anyway. Call it a hobby.

Hope you're all keeping warm.

Peace out :-)

There are a lot of mushrooms down here.

CqP *is* Eowyn, except for the tall part.

No one on the boodle qualifies for Gollem.

I'll be glad when this is over, trying to follow two boodles at the same time is tiring. I only read posts when I recognize the name, that keeps the ick factor down. RD is going above and beyond the call of duty to engage some of them.

For some reason my son put in The Return of the King a couple of days ago (I think to decompress from his exams) and as the hubby, daughter and I passed through the family room, we each stopped in our tracks, parked and watched with him. We're planning a Fellowship and Towers Saturday afternoon.

Yoki -- since Frosti and are sometimes the same personish, with teaching gigs and flower-manias, we can share. Top up one upon each other and we could be scary-tall.

Do not let CpDots know this, however, as they claimed in perhaps grades 4 and 6 respectively.

We are all possible-Gollums, as the story of his descent from Smeagle reveals.

You make a good Samwise, Scottynuke.

If we're doing cross-roles, I vote bc for Arwen.

I want to be Merry as long as Treebeard doesn't make me drink hobbit Miracle-gro again.

Local LoTR and Hobbit expert:
http://mythus.com/

Sometimes I walk past Dr. Flieger's class and linger eavesdropping.

I want to be one of those Wild Wood people in Rohan. You know, the ones with the drums.

Or Beorn.

Only on very bad days will I become one of the Mirkwood Giant Spiders.

Fresh pot of coffee just brewing... anyone in for a cup?

I might toss so special honey in mine.

Yes please, russianthistle! Just black for me.

Oh, no no no, CqP must have Eowyn solo. I'm not familiar enough with all the characters. Have anything angrier, more militant, perhaps with exploding things?

Posted to that bad boodle in the future:

"Many people suspect that The Sunday Leader has a political agenda: it does not. If we appear more critical of the government than of the opposition it is only because we believe that - pray excuse cricketing argot - there is no point in bowling to the fielding side." Lasantha Wickramatunga, Sri Lanka journalist/editor in his editorial "And Then They Came For Me." (Published posthumously after his assassination on Jan. 08 of this year)

Cheer, get autographs, take pictures-even fawn and simper if you like WaPo journalists. You are among the best practitioners of an heroic profession.

More about Wickramatunga from the Post's Emily Wax here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/14/AR2009011403830_pf.html

I am drinking the same coffee as RT -- 'Tis a lunch-coffee day, indeed.

I don't like lunch with coffee, but do offer shortbread, since that is quite right with bitter-biting good coffee.

Actually, frosti, Eowyn is perhaps the most militant female in the whole trilogy -- she's the one that slays the King of the Ringwraiths. :-)

So, you guys are over here. It is nasty over on the other kit. Real nasty. I thought those folks were gone, but this morning they were as fresh as last night.

RD, Martooni, DNA girl, Jumper, Yello, and others have been holding their own on the dark side. Way out of my league over there.

Slyness

I did walk this morning, and yes, it is cold. I did okay until I was almost back, and started feeling a little dizzy. I fixed me some chicken soup, and I'm planning on staying in.

Legolas - me?

Ok, Scottynuke you're right - it's kinda obvious, isn't it?

It's my ears.

True fact: I have to resist crying every time I see "Return of the King," my favorite of the films.

Do elves cry?
Arwen aside, of course.

Nevermind, let me get in touch with my inner Warrior -- ahem - "That's *twenty!*

bc

Yeah s'nuke, but then it appears she gets over her crush on Aragorn, marries and settles down. I want explosions!

Who, dammit. Who.

Sorry. I'm having a testy day at the office. Within the past week the *&^%$ have stacked up on me two jobs in excess of 500 pages each, on TOP of two existing mega-jobs, one 600 and one 900 pages. And this is supposed to be our slow season.

I'm backlogged well into February, so much so that I'm working on Monday, whether it's a fed holiday or not. Probably Tuesday as well.

*&%$#@*&^%$#

I don't think we have Pippin yet, frosti. How about him for you? I should think you can defeat Isengard!

Howsabout Faramir instead, frosti? :-)

I'm staying in too, Cassandra. Actually I'm waiting to hear from the electrician, who's supposed to come this afternoon and replace the front bathroom fan. Having company over the holidays revealed its total uselessness and need to be replaced.

I didn't walk this morning, it was my day to volunteer at the fire museum so that was a good excuse to skip.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I'm unable to use email today.

So, Mudge, I'm ready to come out throwin', and crank up a couple of Hail Marys for the Playoff games this weekend. Put me down for Baltimore and Arizona.

This game may in fact be for the birds (and not raptors), and I have just the brain for it.

bc

Call it coincidence, but Bean and I started reading The Hobbit a couple nights ago. Now that her attention span has grown to about five minutes from thirty seconds, we can almost get a chapter in before her brain wanders off.

We just finished the Dwarf rave party at Bag End and will (tonight, I think) get to meet the trolls who want to eat the Dwarves (and the Burrihobbit), but instead turn to stone at sunrise as they argue about how to cook them.

Y'know... I really like this Dad stuff. I may kvetch a bit here and there, but overall, this is the funnest job I've ever had. If I had a million dollars, I'd spend it all on giggles and tickles and bedtime stories.

Strongly disagree, Scotty. More frosti's speed to be Éomer.

My Dungeons and Dragons characters were always half-orcs because I didn't put a lot of stock into Charisma as a necessary character trait.

I've always thought Wormtongue was misunderstood. I'll be him if only I get to see the error of my ways at the end and have a deathbed conversion to the Force like Darth Vader. Otherwise just make me one of the ambiguously gay hobbits, Pipsqeak or Merkin, or whoever they were.

CqP, if you are going to take a cup, why didn't you say hi!?

Yoki c(_) for you.

Riding a fast steed? Yep, Yoki, yer right. :-)

Thank you, weed. This is delicious!

yoki, are you local to DC area?

gwe for Theoden

Pippin and Merry weren't gay, ambiguously or otherwise. They are just really good friends with similar interests.

Like pipeweed, really dank pipeweed.

I'm Pippin.

DNAGirl,

Yeah, I caught that. The guy had asked a reasonable question and I answered and he graciously responded. I like to do a little low key evangelical work during our quarterly wingnut attacks. A good missionary can't be scared of shaking hands with the cannibals.

But I try to avoid the trolls (although I am a semi-domesticated one myself) because there isn't much sport. Like teaching a pig to sing, it just wastes your time and annoys the pig.

I'm dibbing Bilbo before it's too late. Where's my pipe?

If I really thought the trolls would read it, I'd really mess with them. I don't think they read the comments, mostly just write them.

I am far, far away, russianthistle, in the Canadian west, Calgary.

Though I do spend a fair bit of time in DC, which is why so many Boodlers have met me in person (and very nice to meet them, it is too).

That's perfect, Jumper.

'nuff Boodle-hogging. Sorry.

I think the Drudgers have gone back to their caves, as they haven't posted in some time. Even so, we're probably safer here.

Sorry, Gomer.

I'm getting LOTR mixed up with 'Bored of the Rings'. The Bilbo analog in that version probably wouldn't make it through the Wirty Dird Filter.

Have fun storming the castle.

Yoki, warn us the next time you are going to be in town and we will put together a coffee survival kit for Calgary.

How lovely, thank you russianthistle! I will let you know for sure.

Sorry RT/DM, must of left my manners under the covers.

Howdy, with a dash of mea culpa. Your cuppa icon is fab.
-----
Real coffee: I bought some coffee from

www.hondocoffee.com

upon RD/DM's rec. You get coffee roasted locally that is both free-trade and eco-reasonable at the same time. And, the flavor is dark and rich without being bitter. Get some.
-----

Yello-
Now you're mixing it up with The Princess Bride. In that world, I'm the albino in the Pit of Despair.

And I'm a cabin boy for the Dread Pirate Roberts, Franchise Unit #23.

Stimulus package at Talkingpoints memo. I see some energy planning. Not enough, but there you go. I think it needs more thought (and then $) about light rail.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/01/summary_american_recovery_and_reinvestment.php

To amuse the Northern boodlers, today's list-alert system for UMCP urges students to dress appropriately for the weather. Lots of details about wool, layers, and long underwear. Also, information on the carpooling options to Mt. Rainier/West Hyattsville Metro.

This is the South, with little knowledge on dressing well for such temps. We are in our coldest air mass in ten years.

Well the car is warming up and I am leaving a little early for work cause the community roads are still covered.It is still 8,but now the wind has picked up a bit. here's hoping there will still be coals in the fireplace when I get home.

Have a Great day everyone and take cp's advice and bundle up and stay warm!!!!

I think it might be safe to return to the front of the Boodle... Maybe. :-)

I suggest we stay here. Joel will post a new kit as soon as he can.

If we're talking "The Princess Bride," surely I am Miracle Max.

Now, another bit of sadness. A large one, actually, for me. RIP John Mortimer, 85, author of the nonpareil "Rumpole of the Bailey" series, in which he created the curmudgeonly barrister who is most certainly my fondest role model, devout consumer of plonk from Chateau Thames Embankment or Chateu Fleet Street at Pommeroy's Wine Bar, and of course husband to the original, the protypical, the ur-She Who Must Be Obeyed.

Mortimer was married serially to two women, both named Penelope, with whom he had four children. Then in 2004 he learned for the first time that he'd had a fifth child, a son, from a 1960 affair with actress Wendy Craig, who raised the boy without ever telling Mortimer he had a son with her 44 years earlier.

In addition to his writing, Mortimer was also a most admirable human being, generally a somewhat idiosyncratic liberal, but a vigorous defender of the press press, having been defense attorney (well, the legal Brit equivalent thereof) in several famous cases such as the defense of Lady Chatterley's Lover, among others. He once said he loved everything about religion...except God.

RIP, Sir John.

I love Rumpole. He is my favourite barrister. RIP Sir John

Well except for boodle lawyers. Boodle lawyers are tops.

Thanks, dr!

Here you all are. I was beginning to think my abortion donuts link had offended. Been sitting on the dead boodle forever!

Now I've killed this one....

Gotta agree, dr: Boodle sharks, and those who wrangle them, are tops.

Sara,
Everybody's out playing Lord Of The Rings in the snow. They're recreating the walk up to the Mines of Mothra.

Wow -- HERE you are. . . .

Nice to be back in the neighborhood of wonderful (albeit, appropriately eccentric) boodlers. I have no interest in tripping over trolls.

I'm with you, Mudge -- John Mortimer was the best. A terrific writer, and for much more than Rumpole. I love reading his stuff. Andrew Wyeth died, too. I know there were many critics of his work (works?), but as far as "art" goes, I think it's pretty much in the eyes and hearts of the beholder. The so-called critics didn't think that Norman Rockwell was an "artist" either. It brings to mind the initial criticism in the 1800s during the burgeoning Impressionist Era. The critics ranted and raved about some of the artists painting the snow in blue tones. *GASP*. I always liked Wyeth, and found that his paintings had a haunting quality that appealed to me. But, hey, that's me. I'm also a huge fan of modern and expressionist art (LOVE Mark Rothko!!!).

Famous people seem to be dying in droves right now. Kinda disconcerting.

I'll try to pop in later to see if you all are still breathing.

Well, I'll just wait here for them. That sounds too cold for me.

Still no propane.
Ever try to type wearing mitts?

Yes, firsttime! LOVE Rothko!! There's a whole room of Rothkos at either the Met or the MoMA--they're blending together for me at the moment. That was a fantastic room! Strangely, Wyeth was located very close to the Rothko room. Huge Christina's World just down the hall. Gorgeous. I love Wyeth, too. Art historian in me. Very little that I don't find merit in.

I don't find merit in Thomas Kinkade, though. He just makes me angry and frustrated.

For anyone interested in a local coffee seller, there is also M.E. Swing. They used to be located in DC but moved to Alexandria. They also sell tea, which is how I got to know them since I don't drink coffee.

FTB, there's a great quote in the second page of the Wyeth obit:

In Maine, Daniel O'Leary, director of the Portland Museum of Art, said of Mr. Wyeth: "Two hundred million people will tell you he's their favorite artist, but museums and critics haven't always been willing to deal with that."

As a matter of fact I have Boko. Weren't they supposed to deliver by now?

I'm with you on Kinkade, Sara. One could die of diabetes just looking at his pictures.

Exactly.

yellojkt, I do believe it was Rodan that came from a mine, not Mothra...

Some of Tom Harriott's moon maps:

http://io9.com/5131639/the-secret-history-of-moon-maps-1609+1613

Was Rodan's mine where they made that statue of the Naked Guy holding up his forehead?

No, that was where the giant caterpillers were eating the miners.

yello's right. Rodin came from Paris, not some stupid mine, Sheesh.

I think Mothra came from Aix-en-Provence.

I like the Rodin statute of the two nekkid kids makin' out.

Sorry for disappearing ... and not responding.

I am distracted today, lost in thought without being lostinthought.

== weed

Well, you do have to admit it took great skill for Rodan to wield a hammer and chisel while flapping those wings and hovering.

* faxing the Weedster a c(_) and a nice big (___) of chicken soup, it couldn't hurt*

I knew I wasn't feeling quite myself today, and now I know why. RT, do you have a sudden urge to buy expensive shoes?

Hey, LiT, I was just gonna coming looking for you. Do I have your game picks for Sunday?

LiT, I was going to say DC would be VERY confused to find out you're really RT.

Glad to know it's possilbe, Frosti.
I just got off the phone with the nice propane lady who told me the truck has broken down and been hauled off to Ottawa. She told me to expect delivery to-morrow and I didn't suggest she come over and help keep me warm. I believe that was appropriate.

Are we here? Are we there? What?

Oh, well, I've been too busy to pay much attention to the Obamastorm but the Drudgesters seem mostly harmless to me. Here's the second half of a comment I posted over there:

LearnOutLoud.com has led me to a great new site for audio/video content: FORA.TV. I was there today listening to Garrison Keillor on the subject of "Life, Cheerfulness, and Aging."

http://fora.tv/2007/09/17/Garrison_Keillor_on_Life_Cheerfulness_and_Aging

Last night I enjoyed a video of Dave Barry's at Politics & Prose:

http://fora.tv/2007/09/20/Dave_Barry_s_History_of_the_Millennium_So_Far

And this is a great, short video about irrational behavior, with examples of how we make decisions for reasons we don't realize:

http://fora.tv/2008/12/13/Dan_Ariely_Tendencies_of_Irrational_Behavior

Yoki, the cheese olive balls were delish and a big hit, I would fax you a couple but they are.all.gone

LiT -- in all the run up about the gowns of the balls, I keep thinking about the shoes, the shoes, the shoes....and you.

Off to my taxi runs of the evening. Stay warm.

S'nuke, she'd think it's a game, and say no, *she's* me.

CqP, I once went to a private party for 1000+ people at the Met. I kept noticing how must style, artistry and splash (talk about bling!) there was in the jewels, and yet the most boring shoes on the planet. I, of course, was the exact opposite.

Hey everyone, CowTown's over on the Obamastorm kit, looking all spiffy with a new handle.

I suppose I'd have to be a Hobbit woman - maybe the one who marries Sam? But I really want to be one of the Rohan - weren't they the horse masters? Or an Elf...really like the Elves, in the forest.

Or Goldberry - The River Woman's daughter, who married Tom Bombadil. I'm picturing her spinning or knitting - dr! (I had to google to find the name - been too long.)

New kit. Time to come out of the bunker.