Random Access

Friday – 22 July 2011
It’s my 9/80 day off. Hallelujah. Of course, I have The Leash this week, so I’m also hoping that nothing blows up over the weekend.

Last night, SaraRules! and I attended our third childbirth classes. During the second half of the class, we went on a tour of the Labor and Delivery Unit at Intermountain LDS Hospital. In addition to getting the lay of the land – and seeing a few newborns in the nursery – we also got to see a… I guess you’d call it “freshly-delivered”… placenta. Our instructor talked a bit about it and gave us a chance to look at – but not touch – it fairly closely. That freaked a few people out. (Neither SaraRules! nor I were among the squeamish.)

As a side note: While at the class, I checked in at the hospital on Foursquare…

…which crossposts to Facebook…

…which led to a series of comments on Facebook AND text messages, asking if either something was wrong or if the babies were coming early. So, I responded to those with “calm down, it’s just another class night” messages.

Then, this shows up in today’s Real Life Comics:

It made me laugh.

After sleeping in this morning, I managed to get myself out of the house and into the gym:

• Elliptical: 15 min/1.5 miles
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps — 2 sets @ 155 lbs, 1 set @ 165 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Sit-ups (incline): 3 sets/15 reps
• Flys (dumbbell, bench): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Tricep extensions (dumbbell, standing): 3 sets/10 reps, 40 lbs
• Leg Extensions: 3 sets/10 reps, 70 lbs
• Leg Curls: 3 sets/10 reps, 70 lbs

Not a bad way to start the day.

Stray Toasters

• Spotify: Check!
  (I haven’t heard Morris Day’s Oak Tree in years…!)
• How Finland became an education leader
• Superhero graffiti in San Francisco
  Gotta love the John Stewart GL on the last panel.
• 
• Science on Screen coming to 8 theatres across America
• The Borders Goodbye Email Is Like Watching Old Yeller in Slow Motion
• WizKids! has released dials for four figures from the upcoming Superman set (1, 2).
• Should we change how we elect presidents?
• 
• A Tribe Called Quest: The Rise and Fall of a Legend
• Xeni Jardin has opened an open Google+ thread for jokes.
• The Brilliance of Dwarf Fortress

Namaste.

Thursday – 21 July 2011
This NBN Technical Friday is a bright, sunny day with blue skies and no clouds.

Last night, SaraRules! and I went to a screening of Captain America: The First Avenger, thanks to Jeff and Jimmy at Big Movie Mouth-Off and about 20 of my friends, who helped me win tickets.

Where some directors might have a problem making a solid comic book adaptation or a period piece, Joe Johnston has successfully crafted a movie that works not only as a big-screen comic book movie AND a period piece, but also as a lighter World War II fare. The only thing that our screening didn’t have was the post-movie teaser clip for The Avengers. (Thank God for YouTube…)

Sidenote: I just noted that Mr. Johnston also directed a few other movies of which I am fond:

• October Sky,
• Hidalgo, and
• The Rocketeer (which I’ve only seen in bits and pieces, but is also a comic book adaptation and period piece)

I also find it somewhat amusing that it’s been 20 years between his forays into comics-related fare.

Chris Evans did a fine job as Steve Rogers, a young man looking for a chance to serve his country, but unable to do so because of his frail constitution. When given a chance to join the military, he finds that it’s not the role he wanted or expected… but that doesn’t stop him. Nor does it keep him from becoming the soldier — not just “super-soldier” — that he hoped to be.  Stanley Tucci‘s turn as Dr. Erskine – who developed the super-soldier formula – was also quite good. He came across as a man who, like Steve Rogers, understood the difference between doing something because you can and doing something because it’s right. Hayley Atwell was a good choice for Agent Peggy Carter, the romantic interest. Most importantly, she wasn’t relegated to a “damsel in distress” role; Agent Carter was as much in the thick of things as any of her male counterparts. In a bit of a surprise to me, Tommy Lee Jones‘ Colonel Phillips was in more of the film than I expected. And I enjoyed every bit of screen time that he had. And Hugo Weaving was an excellent choice as Johann Schmidt/The Red Skull. He made a believable adversary, mixing the right amounts of ego and megalomania.

This is a fun bit of summer cinema, with a little something for everyone. The movie apparently earned its PG-13 rating for one scene —  an action/violence issue, rather than a language or nudity issue. With this movie, Marvel Entertainment – and Disney, by extension – has hit the proverbial trifecta, with respect to comic book movies this summer, in the releases of Thor, X-Men: First Class and Captain America.

(Yeah, I could have used LEGO bricks for this, but… I liked this better.)

See Also: Captain America’s cinematic comeback, from USA Today and Comics, Everybody: The History of Captain America Explained, from Comics Alliance.

Groove. Boogie. Sway.
Today’s musical oleo has included:

• US3 – Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)
• Annie Lennox- Walking on Broken Glass
• Santana (ft. Rob Thomas) – Smooth
• Led Zeppelin – Heartbreaker
• LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out

Stray Toasters

• Marvel Entertainment and the LEGO Group announce strategic relationship in construction toy category
• Tax Bill Imperils Slavery Museum
• Apple does away with the MacBook
• Apple Tops Nokia to Become Worlds’ Top Smartphone Vendor
• 
• Space shuttle Atlantis lands, ending NASA’s shuttle program
• Last Space Shuttle Lands, Ending 30 Year Era
• Spaceflight Is Getting Cheaper. But It’s Still Not Cheap Enough.
• To Nullify Lead, Add a Bunch of Fish Bones
• MarknTyme sent me a link to a trailer for the upcoming Conan the Barbarian. I’ve been somewhat ambivalent about the movie, but the trailer has piqued my curiosity…

• Computer theft impacts 400K South Carolina patients
• Social Media History Becomes a New Job Hurdle

Namaste.

Tuesday – 19 July 2011
Day Two of Four… fortunately, there’s coffee.

And it’s game night. And, there may even be a trip to the gym on this evening’s agenda.

Last night, Operation: Paint Guest Room went into effect. Ms. and Logan came over to lend a hand. We banged out the whole thing – from taping to finishing (minus door trim) – in under two hours. There are a couple of small areas that need a slight touch-up, but the proverbial “heavy lifting” is done. And, with the painting out of the way, the guest room furniture can now be moved so that the cribs and other baby furniture can go into the nursery.

Groove. Boogie. Sway.
The Tuesday morning music mix started slow, but geared up fairly quickly:

• Poe – Angry Johnny
• Sublime – Santeria
• DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince – I’m Looking for the One (To Be With Me)
• Janet Jackson – The Pleasure Principle
• Ben Folds Five – Underground

Stray Toasters

• Celebrate Women and Railroad Heritage at Train Festival 2011
• Ready for Retirement, Shuttles Get a Deep Clean
• First-Place Sweep by American Girls at First Google Science Fair

  

• Cities Report Surge in Graffiti
• Death Star PR
• Birth Control Without Copays Could Become Mandatory
• Longtime book retailer Borders heading toward liquidation
• 24 Small Towns May Lose Air Service

Friday – 15 July 2011
Another 9/80 “on” Friday in the valley. I’m in the office, with a frozen mocha, a couple of doughnuts and Weapon of Choice on iTunes. I’m at work, but it doesn’t totally suck… and I’m okay with that.

Last night, SaraRules! and I had another childbirth class. One of the things we learned about was breathing techniques. I was (somewhat) able to control my laughter when this came up, because I couldn’t get Bill Cosby’s routine about childbirth out of my head:

There was another part of the class where our instructor talked about methods to help induce labor. At one point she said “Jumping on a tramp.”  Logically, I know that she meant “jumping on a trampoline,” but in my head I got a F*ck Yeah Headlines-like image of a pregnant woman jumping up and down on the back of a vagrant. Again, I managed to stifle (most of) my laughter.

After we got home, SaraRules! and I also started filling out some sections of the babies’… er… baby books. We went with the Guess How Much I Love You: My Baby Book for both kids. We are jointly filling in pages, so there’s uniformity between the books.

Groove. Boogie. Sway.
This morning’s musical selections have been good:

• Stevie Wonder – Superstition
• No Doubt – Hella Good
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Runnin’ Down a Dream
• Prince – Let’s Go Crazy, and
• the aforementioned Fatboy Slim – Weapon of Choice

Well done, iTunes. Well done indeed.

Stray Toasters

• Let’s start with a few comics-related items:
• CCI apologizes for asking Matt Wayne to change his Dwayne McDuffie tribute
• If you’re not reading Love and Capes – especially after all of the times I’ve told you strongly suggested that you should be reading it – then you’re missing out on a fun, well-written book.

  

  Because of a shipping snafu, I just got my copy of IDW’s Love and Capes: Ever After #5 yesterday… two weeks late.  Despite having a major plot point spoiled last week, there were plenty of other surprises in the issue. It was a fantastic read and well worth the delay — author/artist Thom Zahler truly knocked this one out of the park.

• Hester Rebuilds “The Bionic Man”
• Chris Evans delivers Letterman’s superhero-themed Top 10 List
• Big monkey goes around the world
  Big monkey underground
  Big monkey got a mighty voice
  Big monkey make no sound

  Yep… I’m still amused by that.

• Esquire’s Very Specific Guide to the Great Outdoors
• My friend, Peggy, posted a link to Seven Things That Women Do on Facebook That Guys Hate. While I don’t necessarily “hate” these items, I’ll admit that I just don’t “get” Item #2: Making That Duck Face. I don’t see what’s made it so common/popular. *shrug* Maybe it’s me. Maybe it’s Maybelline.
• 
• New Frederick railroad museum brings world of delight to all ages
  Check out the museum’s website, as well.
• With Deal on Rookie Wages, N.F.L. Lockout Nears the End
• Report: NFL owners, players agree on rookie wage scale
• According to an article on Comic Book Resources:
  

  Borders Group, the second-largest bookstore chain in the United States, could be liquidated as early as next week if no other suitors step forward by Sunday evening, the deadline established by a federal bankruptcy court.

• Internet Use Affects Memory, Study Finds
• Aria resort in Las Vegas linked to 6 Legionnaire’s cases

Namaste.

Monday – 11 July 2011
Despite the way I wrote it above it’s 7/11, which means “Free 7.11 ounce Slurpees at 7-11” Day! How’s that for a good way to kick off your week?!

Yesterday was a relatively lazy day. Of course, after starting Saturday very early in the morning and participating in a 5K, some might say that”lazy” is a subjective term. Well, in this case, it was less “subjective” and more “objective,” by far. There was sleeping in. There was lounging on the sofa. There was more lounging and lazing about. There was dinner (Teriyaki chicken, rice, sauteed vegetables) and a movie (Sucker Punch) with the in-laws, which was followed by… you guessed it: More lounging about on the couch, once we got home.

I got into the office a little early this morning, which means that I got to start the morning, um… somewhat loudly… with tracks that included:

• Rush – The Spirit of Radio
• Guy – Teddy’s Jam
• Jimi Hendrix – Fire

Yeah, that’s a start to the Monday morning that didn’t totally suck.

Stray Toasters

• Top Gear: the motoring show in quotes (by the producer), thanks to Doc for posting this.
• With Grit and 10 Players, U.S. Women Oust Brazil
• U.S. beats Brazil in shootout, reaches World Cup semifinals
• 8 Reasons Why Model Trains Are a Great Hobby
• 
• New for Aspiring Doctors, the People Skills Test
• The 40 Worst-Dressed Cities in America
  (…although, they only appear to have nine of them loaded at this point.)
• Cloud-Based Data Outside the U.S. Not Exempt from PATRIOT Act Spying
• Cautionary Lessons From State’s Shutdown
• 
• How Social Pressure Can Affect What We Remember: Scientists Track Brain Activity as False Memories Are Formed

Namaste.

Sunday – 10 July 2011
This has been a good weekend. It’s also been rather productive, as well.

Yesterday morning, SaraRules! and I woke up at ridiculous o’clock to meet up with Angy and and head south to Mona.

Our destination: Young Living Lavender Farm

Our reason: The 2011 Lavender 5K Race.

This was the second year that SaraRules! and I have done the race… and this time, she was doing it while seven months pregnant…

…so, as expected, our times were a little slower than last year. But, we finished:

Name   Bib No   Chip Time   Gun Time       Pace
Sara    473     1:08:15.5   1:09:21.6     21:57/M
Angy     44     1:08:16.1   1:09:21.1     21:57/M
Robert  462     1:08:16.5   1:09:21.4     21:57/M

While we were taking it slow, forged ahead with a “slightly” faster pace:

Dave   147     31:59.1     32:18.0     10:17/M

Yeah, “slightly” faster. All told, it was a fun way to kick off the day – if WAAAAY earlier than normal. We came home and had some downtime before doing work around the house. And we wound up the evening with Resident Evil. Mmm, pre-bed zombies.

Workout
Friday, I managed to drag myself out of the house and get to the gym. I got in a decent workout:

• Elliptical: 15 minutes, ~5.7 MPH
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 155 lbs
• Sit-ups (incline): 3 sets/15 reps
• Curls (dumbells, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Shoulder Press (dumbbells, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 35 lbs
• Tricep Press: 3 sets/15 reps, 50 lbs

…and my stomach is still feeling those sit-ups.

Stray Toasters

• On Friday, NASA completed the last launch of the Space Shuttle program – STS-135 saw Space Shuttle Atlantis take to space. As it was my day off, I watched the event.
  • STS-135: The Shuttle Program’s Final Space Odyssey
  • Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off

  I don’t recall if I saw the first shuttle launch, although I’m fairly certain that I did. I remember the Challenger and Columbia accidents. I’m not sure what lies ahead for NASA and the American space program, but I’m waiting to see what what they come up with and where we go.

• 30 Comic-Con exclusive toys you’ll sell your organs for
• 
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file:
• Bachmann Believes Black People Were Better Off During Slavery?
• The Seattle Police Department Is “Very Embarrassed” After Leaving Unattended Semi-Automatic Rifle on Trunk of Patrol Car
• New Dallas series given go-ahead
• I Was Absent That Day

Namaste.

Tuesday – 05 July 2011
The holiday weekend ends; the work week begins.

Yesterday was a fairly low-key day, which was a good way to wind down a somewhat busy weekend. Last night, we joined Angy and for dinner at Olive Garden and fireworks at Sugarhouse Park. Dinner was good… at least, it was good for us. There was a new waiter (not ours) who was having a rough night – he had a couple of sizable spills at two tables. Not the most auspicious of evenings, I’d surmise. The fireworks were also good. And the people-watching was sublime.

I got to bed, ready for a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, it was not to be. I slept, but it was far from restful. I was up about an hour before my alarm went off, but by that point, I’d was so irritated that I decided to go ahead and start the day. On the up side: Being in the office an hour early means that I will be off work an hour earlier… and as I’m in the south office today, that ain’t a bad thing.

And… it’s game night.

Stray Toasters

• I’d like to blame the problems we’ve seen this morning on monkeys……but I can’t.
  They seem more attributable to gremlins, actually.
• Verizon Is Ditching Unlimited Data Plans on July 7th
• 
• Researchers cast doubt on cell-phone cancer risk
• The Paperless Cockpit
• Yes, coffee IS awesome.
• Security firm warns of Google+ spam run
• The ‘Ring’ Is a Supreme Test for Opera Directors
• I wish that I had seen this yesterday…

  

• California state workers’ data taken from state offices
• End of shuttle program slams Space Coast economy

Namaste.

Thursday – 30 June 2011
This NBN Thursday comes to us with some high clouds over the mountains. But, it’s still a Thursday… which means only one more day in the work week. And, then my schedule does something lovely:

• Three-day weekend, followed by…
• Three-day work week, followed by…
• Another three-day weekend.

That comes under the heading of:

Last night was D&D 4.0 night with m3lodywise and company. It was also the last encounter of our current campaign, which – in video game terms – meant: End Boss Fight! We fought a mage and some of his minions. Things didn’t start out auspiciously for us. We didn’t take it as an ill omen, fortunately. A couple of rounds later, things started to turn our way.

And that’s when the lich showed up.

Bugger.

So, we changed tactics: Melee fighters went to tackle the mage and his cohorts, while the ranged attackers and our handy-dandy NPCs took on the lich. A couple of NPCs took one for the team, while fighting the lich. (The greater good…) We managed to take down the mage and the lich, as well as destroy the lich’ phylactery (think: “horcrux”).

Good guys: Eleventy billion
Bad guys: Two.

The game ran a little later than planned, but it was fun. And, all the players’ characters lived. Both of those – separately or together – are good things.

Stray Toasters

• Citing failed studies, FDA rejects breast cancer drug
• Milwaukee schools to lay off 354 teachers
• Wyoming’s Government Switches to Google Apps
• This LEGO Robot Makes Programmable Pancakes
• 
• Smartphones safer than desktops, but not without risks
• Wallace Schools “Mister Terrific”
• Od tireh od tireh.
  Kama tov yiheyeh.
  Bashana bashana haba’ah
  (Thanks for getting that song stuck in my head, Mom…)
• 
• Fed Halves Debit Card Bank Fees
• At 75, ‘Gone With the Wind’ Marks Yet ‘Another Day’

And that’s that.

Namaste.

Monday – 27 June 2011
Another work week begins… as June draws to a close. Where does the time go? It seems as though June just started.

This was a good and rather busy weekend. And, it was productive, to boot: The yard has been mowed and edged. Another of the great wild shrubberies in the front yard has been introduced to the Sawzall. I have become a fan of the pruning blades for the Sawzall, might I add. And, the consolidation of SaraRules!’ and my offices has begun.

We also managed to hit the Utah Arts Festival; we went on Saturday, with our friend, Jana. The weather was quite nice and perfect for an afternoon in the sun. I picked up a few railroad-related prints while there. Imagine that. And, I also managed to come home with a half-pound of cinnamon-roasted almonds.

Yesterday was a somewhat l0w-key day. We went to the Wasatch Front Farmers Market in the morning. We ran into my friend, Peggy, and her family, which was a rather unexpected but pleasant surprise. We also made a pilgrimage to the Garden of Sweden. And had dinner with the in-laws.

Workout
Friday, I made it to the gym.  I think that I remember what I did…

• Elliptical: 20 minutes, 1.9 miles (I averaged somewhere between 5.5 and 6.0 MPH)
• Bench Press: 3 sets/8 reps, 155 lbs
• Curls (dumbbell, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Lat Pull-downs: 3 sets/10 reps, 100 lbs
• Leg Extensions: 3 sets/10 reps, 60 lbs
• Leg Curls: 3 sets/10 reps, 60 lbs
• Calf Raises: 3 sets/10 reps, 60 lbs

My left calf is still a bit sore. It’s made going up and down steps… fun… over the weekend.

Stray Toasters

• RV-sized asteroid will buzz the Earth on Monday
• New York governor signs same-sex marriage into law
  • Beyond New York, Gay Marriage Faces Hurdles
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Black student locked in locker, fellow students walk off yelling “Slave for Sale!”
• Is a Summer Suit Really Necessary?
• 
• Why Did DC Cancel Superman’s Team-Up with a Muslim Hero?
  • If I Had to Reboot the DC Universe
• Vatican Is Introducing Portal as One-Stop Information Site
• 4 things you didn’t know about sunscreen
• Month at the Museum 2: Science Never Sleeps
  While I think that this would be a lot of fun to do… I’ll have my hands full with a couple of newborns at this time.
• 
• The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments, available online
  

  You’ve long heard it spoken of in hushed whispers. Not just a book of kids’ chemistry experiments, but THE book of kids’ chemistry experiments. Supposedly, according to utterly unsubstantiated rumor, the experiments contained therein are so dangerous that the book has been banned by the government and removed from America’s libraries.

• Atop TV Sets, a Power Drain That Runs Nonstop
• How to check your Android for rogue apps
• Final launch of Atlantis shuttle is a tough ticket

Namaste.

Wednesday – 15 June 2011
Midweek. Thank Heaven…

And, thank Heaven for the local Beans & Brews; I’ve returned to my old coffee shop while Pinup Girl Espresso is “on hiatus.”  Did you hear that, IHC?  “On. Hiatus.”  The ball’s in your court now. Let’s see some machinery and equipment on that lot, so that I can get my neighborhood coffee shop back.

*stares menacingly at IHC*

Last night was low-key. SaraRules! and I started some of the moves that will eventually allow the current guest room to become the nursery. There’s still a good bit of work and moving to be done, but we’ve at least made a start.

Today is new comics day.  (Good.)  And, it’s also  game night… although, I may have to skip it: I have passes to see Green Lantern.  Whether or not I am one of the lucky ones who makes it into the theatre has yet to be seen.

Stray Toasters

• I started playing Words with Friends yesterday. Within minutes of announcing it on Facebook, I was elbow-up in game requests.
• The 2011 Summer Style Upgrade
• Apple starts selling unlocked iPhones in U.S.
• 
• Thanks to , I now have an Audible.com account. Why do I credit (or blame) him: Because he showed me the link to Go the F–k to Sleep… as read by Samuel L. Jackson.
  • …and it is HILARIOUS.
  • …and the hardcover book is now on The Covet List.
• F.D.A. Unveils New Rules About Sunscreen Claims
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Man Builds His Own Iron Man Suit, Wears It In to Work
• Yeah… I’d probably do something like this, too:

  

• Lead Poisoning in China: The Hidden Scourge
• $4 gas a thing of the past, at least for now
• Mobius Ship

Namaste.

Tuesday – 14 June 2011
Today is Flag Day.

And, even though it’s Tuesday, it’s another day chock full o’ meetings. Whoop-de-damn-doo!

Last night, I attempted to conquer the front lawn… as a thunderstorm loomed in the not-to-distant sky. (I managed to finish before it became a torrential downpour.) After that, I deemed that it was going to be a lazy night in. SaraRules! and I spent the evening watching Top Gear (UK) and the various versions of House Hunters.

Sidenote: Apparently House Hunters, like Law & Order before it, has enough spin-offs for me to start tagging them like Star Trek series:

• House Hunters: TOS
• House Hunters International: TNG
• House Hunters on Vacation: DS9

Just saying…

And, I read a bit more of Sixkill, which has been quite good.

Stray Toasters

• An Effort to Foster Tolerance in Religion
• Heart with No Beat Offers Hope of New Lease on Life
• On College Forms, A Question of Race, or Races, Can Perplex
• 
• Army soldiers ditch hated berets, in favor of caps
  This would have made Jess happy, I think.  As I recall, she was a little… irritated… when it was announced that all Army troops were making the switch to berets, as prior to that, berets signified special forces and/or special assignment troops.
• IMF latest victim of “major” cyberattack, breach
• Is it bad that this is how I picture Sarah Palin’s Paul Revere snafu from a couple of weeks ago:

  

• I came across a couple of interesting articles related to this summer’s comic book movies:
  • Green Lantern: The Truth About Black and Green
  • Genocide and bubblegum – X-Men: First Class review
• Superstars Never Guessed the Size of ‘Spider-Man’ Challenges

Saturday – 11 June 2011
Yesterday was my youngest sister’s birthday:

Yesterday was also my 9/80 day off. And it was a good day. I started with a short trip to the gym. (This is almost getting to be a habit…)

• Elliptical: 15 minutes, ~5.75 MPH pace
• Bench press: 3 sets/8 reps — 2 sets @ 135, 1 set @ 155
• Curls (dumbbells, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 25 lbs
• Shoulder Press (dumbbells, seated): 3 sets/10 reps, 35 lbs
• Compound Row: 3 sets/10 reps, 125 lbs.

Back home to get cleaned up and then I was off to Porcupine Pub and Grille for lunch with my friend, Emily. We’d not seen each other in a couple of years, so there was a fair bit of catching up to do. Next I popped in to say “Hi” to and .

Then… it was off to meet SaraRules! for another appointment with her doctor. Only, the doctor was “out,” as she got called to the hospital to deliver a baby. So, we met with a nurse instead. She checked on the babies and gave us a thumbs-up on their progress.

I made it back home (by way of The Train Shoppe) and played a bit of Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters before we went out to meet the usual suspects for Clitorati.

This morning, following a series of disturbing dreams and fitful sleep, I found myself awake at 0630. Rather than toss and turn in bed, I made my way to the couch and watched TV. I actually got to see The Rifleman (1, 2) for the first time in ages. Then, the TV started watching me, as I nodded in and out of sleep for the next hour-and-a-half.

Stray Toasters

• Gail, Jill and Babs: A Conversation about Oracle and Batgirl
• iCloud’s legal complaint
• Leonard B. Stern, Creator of Mad Libs, Dies at 88
• An A-Z of incredible uses for everyday things
• 
• Legends of the Joystick
• “Vampire” Stars Found in Heart of Our Galaxy
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Contortionist Hides in Suitcase to Steal from Bus Passengers
• Buried in Anonymity, and Ignominy, Too
• Borders tries to avoid closing 51 more stores
• 
• Citi Data Theft Points Up a Nagging Problem

Namaste.

Thursday – 09 June 2011
Another NBN Technical Friday is upon us. Amen. It looks like it’s going to be a clear, sunny day. That doesn’t exactly hurt my feelings.

Last night, SaraRules! and I had dinner with Ron and a couple of his coworkers, Linda and Kathy. We ate at The Pie Pizzeria. I’ve long been of the opinion that pizza from The Pie is “good,” but I’m not as head-over-heels about it as some of my friends. I think that I know at least part of “why” I’ve had a problem in the past: I have most often had their “Mountain of Meat” pizza, which tends to be a bit… messy… and greasy. And, while filling, it sits heavily in your stomach. Last night’s pizza (or, rather, my half of it) had pepperoni, sausage and green peppers. It went down easily and was filling, without being “too heavy.” I’m fairly confident in saying that it was probably my most pleasurable experience eating a pizza there. After dinner, Ron came over and hung out with us for a while. SaraRules!, he and I sat around trading stories until late in the evening. It was a good end to a good day.

Stray Toasters

• Today is the 96th Anniversary of Les Paul‘s birthday.
  Today’s Google doodle (on the “Classic” home page) is an interactive homage to that.

  …and…

• Straight from the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” and the “Good Cause for a Bad Situation” files: Commission a Sketch to Help Pay Legal Fees of Girl Who Refused to Cheer Her Attacker
• Peanutweeter
• After soldiers’ video goes viral, more bags will fly free
  • Delta apologizes after charging soldiers $2,800 for bags
• Drug makes hearts repair themselves
• By way of :

• Homeless Veterans Sue Over Neglected Campus
• New elements added to chemistry’s periodic table
• Soaring inflation? Not with 9% unemployment
• This made me laugh:

  

• The Walking Dead Action Figures
  • Actors Playing With Themselves: Actors With Action Figures
• Sun uncorks a massive solar blast
• Lockdown High: How schools put the emphasis on crime, security and violence instead of freedom and education
• Citigroup FAQ: What we know about the attack

Namaste.

Monday – 06 June 2011
I won’t lie: I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. It wasn’t that I was dreading the work day. Nor was it that I had a particularly busy/hectic day yesterday. I just didn’t feel any sense of urgency about getting up and on the way this morning. But, I did… and here we are.

Yesterday was a relaxed day. Ron came over in the morning, and took SaraRules! and me to breakfast. We opted for a place with a local flavor, so we chose Ruth’s Diner. Ron liked it. (Which was a plus.) We drove up Emigration Canyon into and down Parley’s Canyon, heading back into the valley. We also drove along Wasatch Blvd, to afford Ron a good look at the valley.

Later in the afternoon, the three of us and a few of the usual suspects went to see X-Men: First Class.

Right off the bat, I’ll say that I enjoyed it. No, it wasn’t the “First Class” that I think of when I think of the X-Men (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman and Marvel Girl)…

…but it was a good roster for the movie continuity. While not set in the Marvel 616 Universe continuity, they were able to do different things to introduce new characters. For example, their take on Sebastian Shaw, Black King of the Hellfire Club, had a nice twist… and one that also connected him to another character in the film. There were also a few nice “easter eggs,” including [REDACTED].

All told, it was a good “preboot” for the movie version of the X-Universe. The actors were good — I especially enjoyed Michael Fassbender’s take on a young Magneto. It moved well (despite compressing a couple of subplots in the interest of time). And, it was just plain fun.

For dinner, SaraRules! grilled steaks and vegetables. And they were good. Very good. “Bring it in for lunch today” good. We wound up the evening watching 2001: A Space Odyssey. I’m not really sure what to say about this other than, I’m putting it in the same category as Regina: I’m willing to read the book to see if the end is any more coherent.

Stray Toasters

• Q&A: The New X-Men Costumes Are Body Suits You’ll Want
• HALO 4 announcement may have been leaked…
• Chow Truck!
• Ohio woman, 100, still uses bank account dating to 1913
• A few friends have posted this image on their Facebook pages; I like it:

  

• Texas Still Has Its Rustlers, and Men in White Hats Chasing Them
• How doctors first noticed the existence of AIDS
• Student cites freedom of speech after suspension for online videos
• Bend Me, Shape Me: The Heavy Metal Version

On to lunch!

Namaste.

Wednesday – 01 June 2011
It’s a new month.
It’s new comics day.
It’s D&D (4.0) game night.
And… it may even be Sushi Wednesday, depending on how my morning shapes up.

For reasons that I have yet to discern, I woke up with Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 running through my head.

Last night, , Chris, Dee and I met at MacCool’s for a guys’ night out. Any evening that ends with Guinness can’t be bad. I opted for the Meat Loaf entree – which is prepared with a barbecue sauce, as opposed to a tomato-based sauce; it was very good. In fact, the beer, the food and the company were all good. If I have my druthers, this will become a regular (or at least semi-regular) occurrence.

Stray Toasters

• Endeavour lands safely in Florida
• Pentagon to Consider Cyberattacks Acts of War
• High-tech medical exam cheating alleged
• 
• Today in Geek History: Robert Heinlein coins the word “grok” when Stranger in a Strange Land is published in 1961, courtesy of Thinkgeek
• City of Heroes has just introduced a Steampunk Pack. This amuses me greatly.
• Improv Everywhere: The Mute Button
• DC Comics dropped a not-so-minor bombshell yesterday: A complete reboot of the entire DCU, coming in September.

  

  • A Note from the DC Comics Co-Publishers: We Hate Secrets
  • Our (First) 13 Questions About the DC Universe Reboot
  • DC Comics unleashes a new universe of superhero titles
  • DC Comics ready for a risky yet relevant publishing change
  • DC’s Number One(s), a commentary from Evil, Inc‘s Brad Guigar
  • DC Comics’ Number One Stunna: The Ballsiest Move of the Decade
• Cousins that are siblings, Identical twin sisters and mothers, Alternative (and parallel) universes
• Reconstruction Lifts Economy After Disasters
• 
• Home prices hit 2002 levels
  • Continuing housing crisis: Ghost suburbs and empty real estate
• In Unusual Move, Apple Previews New Software Plans
• Cellphone Radiation May Cause Cancer, Advisory Panel Says

Namaste.