It's a bit of an administrative day here at the Hideaway. I've got a couple posts brewin' in the back of my mind, which unfortunately is not the part of my mind that operates with any efficiency. I've also been fiddling around with a slight face-lift the site--with a little help from some outside talent--before Roger Dean files a lawsuit. Mix in a healthy dose of distractions and work and it's a slow day for posting.
That doesn't mean I've got nothing to say. There's some weirdness in the world, and here's my quick hits for Tuesday.
Tossing the Dwarf
Any real nerd knows that Pluto's claim to planethood was dubious at best. It was the ugly tag-along planet that hung out with the cool planets in the cafeteria but was never invited to the after-school parties. All the bitching and moaning about it's demotion to "dwarf planet" is much ado about nothing, and we should get on with it. What everyone seems to neglect mentioning is that if we kept Pluto on the list we'd have to add a bunch of others, including Xena. Trying coming up with a mnemonic with that, smart guy!
Should We Get Out and Walk?
When I lived in Minneapolis, there was a stretch of highway 62 that merged with I-35W where traffic would always slow to a crawl no matter what time of day. In DC, where "gridlock" has multiple meanings, driving sucks like a Hoover at a crumb party, but nothing topped Constitution Avenue as a source of commuter anguish. Here in New York, it's the BQE. It cuts a jagged scar over the rooftops of Brooklyn and Queens, and is in a constant state of disrepair and road rage.
Yesterday, after spending a little over an hour to drive the 70 miles from Riverhead, we spent a little over an hour traveling the last ten miles on the BQE. Oodgie's fingers left deep imprints in the steering wheel, and Cheeky finished kindergarten while we were waiting. We were furious and bummed out for the rest of the night, but I felt like a heel when I saw this is the paper this morning. Clearly someone had a worse day on the roads than we did.
No Really, I AM a Monster!
What's creepier than a guy who rapes and murders an 6 year old beauty queen? How about a guy who really really wants to be that guy? John Mark Karr wins my award for freak of the decade so far, beating out such notable contenders as K-Fed and the president of Iran. Just looking at him gives me the heebie jeebies.
And by the way, speaking of "creepy" and "beauty queen", I highly recommend Little Miss Sunshine. The pageant climax will have you averting your eyes and laughing hysterically at the same time.
FINISHED! WOO HOO!
Last night, after several focused, marathon days of political machinations between the Prior of Kingsbridge, Bishop Waleran, and William Hamleigh, Sheriff of Shiring, I finally finished the Pillars of the Earth! YES! It's a good book...Follett does a good job of maintaining momentum and tying up all the loose ends in a satisfying way. I guarantee my next book will be much, much shorter, though.
Got a topic you want me to bitch about? Let me know...I'm always happy to take credit for the ideas of others...
Oh, we saw Little Miss Sunshine this weekend. You're right - it was AWESOME. Loved the pageant scene, and so many others...
Posted by: Kristen | August 29, 2006 at 02:14 PM
I always love a good Roger Dean reference.
Posted by: Chris | August 30, 2006 at 09:36 AM
no, no, she wasn't 11 when she was killed...she was 6!!!!!!! but the crime is 10 years old. and his lawyer whining about he was dragged from Thailand, where he went to pursue young girls, back to the US, where he has 3 sons (no mention of his child support/other obligations to them) is also sickening. And I agree: he is incredibly disturbed and disturbing to look at.
Posted by: ls | August 31, 2006 at 09:51 AM