Darth Vader will teach you the Pythagorean theorem

I have no idea what possible reason or context there is for this, but it doesn't matter, because it's Darth Vader teaching you geometry, and therefore it's one of the most awesome things ever.

The mighty state of Alaska

McCain has picked Sarah Palin as his VP candidate.

Her professional experience, as per CNN:

Television sports reporter, 1987-89; co-owner, commercial fishing operation,
1988-2007; owner, snow machine, watercraft, and all-terrain vehicle business,
1994-97; chairwoman, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, 2003-2004.

Followed by six years as mayor of a town of about 5,000, followed by two years as governor. Of the big, booming, complicated state of Alaska.

Also, apparently two of her son's names are Track and Trig. That's like a high school athlete's schedule.

A trip to the zoo!

Starring, of course, Ailuropoda melanoleuca!

Also, some tigers:

Reflections upon watching the TKD fly prelims:

1. I do still miss tae kwon do, and must get back into it as soon as I can.
2. Apparently, the musical theme for the competition is...the theme from Pirate of the Carribbean. Nothing says "Olympic-level martial arts" like "Johnny Depp as a chronically-drunk, possibly-insane pirate".
3. If you don't have a significant familiarity with the sport, it must either be incredibly baffling or incredibly boring to watch.
4. I like men's sparring better; it's a bit livelier and they don't sound quite as shriek-y when they yell.

Oxygen!

Running at sea level is awesome, because it makes you feel like you're in such better condition that you really are.

*sigh*

I'm beginning to come around on Obama. I'm still not going to be a huge fan, but I'm warming up a bit. It's based mostly on a combination of three things: I really dislike McCain, I think there's a decent chance that Obama will pick Richardson as VP, and the more the smear machine works against Obama, the more I like him.

I had to run into town today after work, and owing to the threat of a serious rain (which didn't happen) I took the bus back, since I was down at the plaza anyway*. It did rain a bit as we were coming back up the hill, and so my bike seat got soaked, so I just walked it up the road back to my dorm. As I approached the student center, some random dude - I have no idea who he was - came up to me and asked if he could talk to me about some "serious concerns about Senator Obama" and the possibility of him becoming president. I told the guy no, that I really didn't want to talk politics. He asked if I had seen the video of Obama not holding his hand over his heart during the national anthem. I said I hadn't and furthermore, that was not an issue I cared about.

Seriously: why are we as a nation so caught up in stupid ritualistic crap? You don't do the right dance and you therefore hate America? If someone is willing to shove themselves into the insane media frenzy that is the presidential campaign I'm not about to doubt that, at least in that individual's mind, they think that they are doing what is right for America. They care and they're willing to put themselves out in the open for that. None of the criticisms being thrown about have anything to do with positions on the issues; they have to do with race and whether someone is "christian enough" (do not get me started on this, because I could sit here and type all night) and what someone's background is and whether or not they give the proper salute. It's just stupid and a waste of time, because when it comes down to it, someone's personal faith is not going to fix this country. Someone's race isn't, nor is where they grew up, or their age**, or anything like that. It's where they stand on the issues, and that's all.

*Entirely unrelated note: have I ever mentioned how much I love the Santa Fe bus system? Okay, the hours aren't great - it would be nice to be able to get around after, say, 6 PM on weekends - but for a city this size, it's a fantastic bus system. It can get you reasonably close to most anywhere in town, it's affordable ($2 for unlimited use for a day), and every single bus has a bike rack on the front. I know squat about it, but I'd wager that Santa Fe really could be held up as a prime example of how a suburban bus system should be. Just work a bit more on staying on-time and expand the hours a bit, and it'll be perfect.
**Okay. I do admit I have concerns about McCain's age. That's from a purely practical perspective, in that I wonder how well a man of his considerable years, who has had not-insignificant health problems in the past, can deal with the physical and emotional demands of such a massive job. Obviously I'm just guessing, but I imagine that "being a competent head of government of the United States of America" requires you to work long days with minimal time off, travel lots, and be stressed to some degree all day, every day, for four years***.
***Note that I said competent and am thus excluding the current occupant of the office.

There is no such thing as money.

Excerpt from a letter to the editor of the Santa Fe Reporter:

It all started several thousands of years ago with the “Goldsmiths” and “Money
Changers” It’s all a 1,000 percent FRAUD, deceit, mis-representation, scam,
sham, stealing, plunder and trickery, etc., i.e., modern and sophisticated
“Voluntary Slavery” on their “Prison Planet/Plantation” established and
maintained by the self-appointed “Masters of the Universe.” Simply ask any Bank
President point blank: Does your bank have and thus loan any (real) “MONEY”?

Okay. I'll get right on that, chief.

Ten (apparently fake) bucks says that this guy is a Paultard.

Another triumph

Common sense, for once, trumps religious indoctrination.

California, if you keep this up, you're going to make me start to think that maybe you're not all completely insane.

Save Mr. Rogers

PBS is intending to take Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood out of regular rotation, limiting it to one episode a week, on weekends.

I dare you to watch this and not feel just...cheated by this decision.


Or how about this one?


Or this?


Fred Rogers was probably one of, if not the most sincere, honest, loving man in television. He absolutely, truly believed in the sanctity of childhood, that absolutely every child was worthwhile and wonderful. He taught children that it was okay to feel however you felt, and that sometimes even your very own emotions are scary, but that's okay. He taught that there was a time and place for make-believe, but that the real world was just as interesting. He said over and over that there is someone who loves you and you are worthy of that love.

Mr. Rogers never talked down to children but also didn't treat them as miniature adults. He treated them with respect as people and tried to give the comfort and nurturing that children need. He didn't preach, or lecture, but engaged in dialogue through the TV, reaching out to kids in the most genuine way possible.

I remember being home sick from school one day in high school, maybe ninth or tenth grade. Both my parents were at work and I was alone in the house. I was lying on the futon downstairs and turned on the TV, and there was Mr. Rogers. He was just the same as he'd been when I was ten years younger - and he was every bit as comforting to watch.

To deprive a generation of children of that is just mean. In this world, we could all benefit from someone who was regularly there, every day, to say he likes you just the way you are, and things may be scary but it's okay to be scared. Children may need that more than ever right now. Why would we possibly want to take that away?

Why?

Can someone please explain to me exactly why I'm supposed to care that a former senator who is not currently running for any other office once had an affair?

Seriously - who the hell cares?

Amazing free offer!

Hey everyone! Do you live in the New York area? Do you love to travel? Man, does JetBlue have a fantastic offer!

New York-based JetBlue is looking for 1,000 of its frequent flyers to show up at JFK on August 23 to check bags given to them by the airline, go through security and wait at the assigned gate for their imaginary "flight".

In return, the airline is promising unspecified "giveaways", free parking and lunch.

Hahahahahahaha. Ahahahaha. Good luck with that, guys. Seriously, what they're saying is, "we'll give you lunch if you go through all the miserable parts of travel without the actual, you know, travel."

I wonder if they'll give you a food voucher when your non-existent flight is "delayed"? Will they load people onto planes and have them sit on the tarmac for three hours - to simulate sitting on the tarmac for three hours - and then another five with the engines running to simulate actually flying somewhere? Will there be screaming babies? Will they have CNN playing and aurally competing with boarding announcements from the nearest sixty-five gates and reminders not to leave your fake baggage unattended? Will they change the gate your fake flight is not leaving from three times and not tell you? Gosh, I'll be back in Jersey on the 23rd, maybe I should go!

Seriously: I would not under any circumstance do that for a "free giveaway" and a free lunch. If they actually paid for me to go somewhere like, say, London, sure. But "please come go through all the hellishness of getting to a flight without actually going anywhere and we'll give you a free sandwich" is just not a compelling offer.

The dreaded Panda disease!

Seriously, what.

(Ignore me, I'm hard at work.)