like watching paint dry

Oh wow. My friend sent me the first photos of their first baby. It's been so long since middle school health class, I had no idea a they were this developed at 9 1/2 weeks! Amazing how detailed the ultrasounds are now. Hooray for science. 

Bog Garden Falls

Greensboro is getting a man-made waterfall. I don't think this will have the same effect as a large downtown man-made waterfront that some genious city planners have suggested in the past, but it's pretty cool anyway. This link is especially for Scarlett and any other water-oriented Civil Engineers who may run across this blog.

Carnival

We went on a Royal Caribbean cruise last month. It was excellent. This morning the story is breaking about the contract that FEMA signed with Carnival immediately after KATRINA for the use of 3 cruise ships for 6 months, for $68.67 MILLION. In government spending terms, it's true this is just chump change, until you do the math. If the cruise ships were used to their full capacity for all 6 months, FEMAs cost is $1375 per passenger per week. I did a quick search and the MOST EXPENSIVE Carnival 7-day cruise I could find was $800, and any idiot with a phone or computer could find them for way less. This is for a trans-Atlantic, full service European cruise... Not a stationary, no entertainment cruise that FEMA got. This is not to mention the fact that the ships aren't even HALF FULL!!
I personally don't have time to do the math on how many MILLIONS we would have saved by simply sending any interested refugee on a 6-month luxury cruise around the world. Obviously the FEMA negotiators didn't either.

WWFSMD

If you havn't heard of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, READ THIS NOW.

HOMBRE

Clinton Hwy. Knoxville, TN.

I have no idea.

Who's In China?

A mildly amuzing "Who's on First" parody, starring W.
http://www.otoons.com/politics/condoleeza.htm

Flickr

Today I finally discovered Flickr. If you are into digital photography, or even like looking at interesting photos, this thing is awesome and I will definitely be a part of it soon. The best part is browsing public photos using tags. For example, you can look at a bunch of Oktoberfest 2005 photos by going here. (My favorite I ran across being this one). For $25 a year, they let you store UNLIMITED amounts of high-res photos permenatly. Pretty sweet.

RC and MOON PIE

My humble contribution to "southern cooking" night with friends. Scarlett made Drunken Sweet Potato Casserole with colorful marshmellows and Jack Daniels.

Pee Wees Dino

I recently rediscovered a CD containing the photos from our Aug '04 trip to LA, VEGAS, and Joshua Tree trip. This is the dinosaur from Pee Wees Big Adventure where he meet Simone. It was filmed at a real place, and the resturant looks exactly the same inside as it does in the "LARGE MARGE SENT ME" scene. MORE HERE

Lawrence Welk quotes:
"I just had an idea that went right over my head."
"You know, it's a long world."
"I just let it in one ear and out the top of my head."
"You go over there and play the accordion. I'll stay here and beat off the band."

I like Jack

Wireless internet, some jack, and a friday night in the front yard

Me. Giant grill. Asparagus. Sausage filled jalaapenos wrapped in bacon. A Pina colada in a tiki cup. I realised I hadn't published many photos of the tiki party. There's some better ones than this, but not sure if others want me to exploit them. 

JET MAN

Speaking of jet packs, this photo was taken in Knoxville, TN in 1982 at the World's Fair. I was there (although too young to remember). My parents have a similar photo they took. These things should be at Target for $150 by now.

How not to fund an infrastructure 101.

Here's an article from this month's WORLD TRADE magazine highlighting (in my opinion) one of our greatest challenges as a nation that is certain to "hit the fan" within the next few years. I think KATRINA is a prime example of a fundamental flaw with democracy. Long-term, expensive projects like totally redesigning cities, levees, and highway infrastructures cannot get the funding they need because politicians will no longer be running for office when the fruits of the projects are seen. Instead, money goes to quick-fixes because that brings political popularity NOW.

If engineers and planners had been properly funded anytime in the last four decades, KATRINA would have done far less damage and possibly saved 1000s of lives, not to mention Mardi Gras 2006. This is not the fault of any particular administration, but a simple fact we have to struggle with in a democracy. Unfortunately, It's already too late build the infrastructure necessary to avoid complete highway gridlock in the very near future. Somebody better start mass producing jetpacks and flying cars soon.

Laborless Day

Didn't ride the bus, but did cancel the 600+ mile roadtrip planned for Labor Day weekend. That's much more of a contribution to the gas shortage than making a special trip downtown just to say I rode the bus. I can kinda golf now. Played my first real non par-3 holes over the weekend and didn't hurt anyone at least. R&R was much needed and much done over Laborday weekend. Now back to work, which is better now that the slower summer months are winding down.
This is a lame-ass journal entry type post. That's the worst kind. Photos and funny links are much better. Nobody cares that I had a ruben for lunch yesterday (but in case you do, HAM'S on High Point Road has a damn fine ruben).

Ride The Bus

Gas supply is bad right now. I'm going to give riding the Greensboro buses a try this weekend. It's cheap, and actually goes near most of the places I go. Best of all, you can take your bike with you if where you want to go is a little far from the stop.
GET SCHEDULES HERE

CORN CAM

A CornCam viewer writes:

"I grew up in the Virgin Islands and thought it was the best place on earth. However, after seeing the corn cam I truly know the meaning of paradise. My wife and I are planning an Iowa road trip this summer to see the majesty, otherwise known as the corn field."
http://www.iowafarmertoday.com/corn_cam/