An imagination-stretcher, gone but not forgotten

Arthur C. Clarke died today.

He wished to be remembered "most as a writer, one who entertained readers and hopefully stretched their imaginations as well".

I can't think of a better way to summarize 2001. For me, it introduced the idea (one which I still maintain) that humanity can achieve immortality by mastering science (compassion and tolerance are implied, I think).

Incidentally, I've been to Minehead, Clarke's birthplace. There was a prison-like Butlins and a few delapidated Victorian-era gambling halls along the waterfront, but no tribute to its famous son. Why does Britain find it so hard to celebrate and encourage appreciation of its ground-breaking intellectuals? Nothing here: http://www.minehead.co.uk/things-to-do.htm

Tired of hiding eggs? Microwave some Peeps!

Don't try this at home, because A. it will ruin your microwave and B. someone else already did and shared the film footage.

http://microwavecam.com/microwavecam/index.htm

The Peeps are the best. Watching them helplessly and inexorably balloon within their shrink-wrap while smiling vacantly is disturbing and hilarious.

http://microwavecam.com/microwavecam/Videos/Peeps/peeps%20084b.htm

Happy Easter!!!!

A Chuck Berry song for all candidates

Heard "Johnny B. Goode" playing in the background as McCain celebrated his GOP nomination win last night. As much as I love Chuck Berry, it's a random song to have as your "theme", other than the "Johnny" association, when you consider the lyrics: never ever learned to read or write so well, but he could play a guitar just like a-ringing a bell.

Well, just for fun, here are some other suggested themesongs-candidate pairings:

Rudy Guiliani -- "Run, Run Rudolph"
Mitt Romney -- "I Want to Be Your Driver"
Ron Paul -- "No Particular Place to Go"
Mike Huckabee -- "My Ding-A-Ling"
Hillary Clinton -- "No Money Down"
Barack Obama -- "You Can't Catch Me"

Cool Stuff I Want In My House

The Han Solo Desk....

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/22/han-solo-in-carbonit.html

...and the hi-can hi-fi canopy!!!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2KVQ8VcvXBc

Real Hungry Men

Nice to see people (Hungry-Man Dinners) still plundering stereotypes for advertising ideas:

http://www.coloribus.com/paedia/reels/2008/02/11/510480/

This is the one where the blue collar workers grab their smoothies and yogurts then decide that they'll all head to the bathroom together to chat. Before that happens, however, they're fortunately reminded (here's where the point of the commercial kicks in) that real men need more than smoothies and yogurts** to conquer hunger.

That's right -- real men eat an entire pound of microwaveable frozen meat! Mmmmmmmmm!!

This might be why real men don't go to the bathroom together.

**Silly rabbit! Smoothies and yogurts are for silly, skinny women!

"Don't you wish your girlfriend was a..."

"....GEEK like me!!"

Waiting for me on the landing outside the bedroom this morning was a Star Wars Valentine's Day card -- Princess Leia bending down to Artoo with "my only hope... ... is that you have a happy Valentine's Day" :)

Awww, thanks Ian!

Three observations:
-- the music is slow (flat) -- it plays in A whereas the soundtrack recording is B-Flat
-- what happens to the batteries and mini micro-chips play mechanisms built into these cards? Are they biodegradeable? Isn't this a little environmentally irresponsible?
-- the back of the card includes the music credit to John Williams -- (c) 1977 Bantha Music (BMI). :)

"Anywhere is fine, Mr. Lord Vader sir..."

Saw this on my way to work today. It's probably aimed at Gotham residents, but Star Wars fans such as myself can't help but have other associations :)