This is really cool. It would be even better if it was completely to scale (the distances are to scale, the sizes of the planets are not), although I guess there were practical reasons this wasn’t done. Also I don’t really get why Pluto is there. Didn’t these guys get the memo?
Still pretty awesome.
This last weekend I went to the Texas Renissance Festival for the second consecutive year, this time with Steve, Gina, Freddy and Forest. I bought a monk bag, which is dangerously close to a purse but still awesome. We watched some cool shows, some of which I grabbed some pictures of and threw on my Flickr page. I do wish I took some of this falconer guy and his birds. They were doing all sorts of tricks and I was to mesmirized to remember to take out my camera.
Oh and here’s a lightly amusing group of twitter updates (tweets) stright from the festival, slightly edited for contextual reasons.
AdamGlasgow: Messages written on bathroom wall: “if you give good blowjobs meet me here at 4:30pm sharp.” “poop yum,” and “democrats are brainless.” Oh and of course various pictures of dicks.
ShaunPatrick: It’s almost 4:30.
AdamGlasgow: I better get out of here.
Completely unrelated:
As you guys probably know this last summer I went to comic-con (man this post is all about nerd-orgy fests). While shopping at a local grocery store in San Diego I spotted a scruffy looking guy dressed in an elaborate Hulk costume. I talked to him a little bit and was even obnoxious enough to get a picture (although I’m having trouble finding it, if I do I’ll post it for sure). I thought it was funny that he didn’t take off anything but his mask to go and buy lettuce, and apparently so did the employees of the store, because they all ended up having their picture taken with him.
Well the other day I was over at a friends house and we decided to watch Confessions of a Superhero, a documentary about panhandlers in Hollywood who dress up as superheros, pose for pictures, and essentially beg for tips. Well it turns out the guy who I spotted in San Diego is one of the main subjects of the movie and his name is Joseph McQueen. It was a little surreal watching a movie about a guy’s (farily depressing) life who I briefly met whilst shopping for sandwhich pieces.
Side note: He seemed like, hands down, the coolest (and least crazy) person in the movie.
From BBC NEWS
A US judge has thrown out a case against God, ruling that because the defendant has no address, legal papers cannot be served.
The suit was launched by Nebraska state senator Ernie Chambers, who said he might appeal against the ruling.
He sought a permanent injunction to prevent the “death, destruction and terrorisation” caused by God.
Judge Marlon Polk said in his ruling that a plaintiff must have access to the defendant for a case to proceed.
“Given that this court finds that there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant this action will be dismissed with prejudice,” Judge Polk wrote in his ruling.
Mr Chambers cannot refile the suit but may appeal.
‘God knows everything’
Mr Chambers sued God last year. He said God had threatened him and the people of Nebraska and had inflicted “widespread death, destruction and terrorisation of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants”.
He said he would carefully consider Judge Polk’s ruling before deciding whether to appeal.
The court, Mr Chambers said, had acknowledged the existence of God and “a consequence of that acknowledgement is a recognition of God’s omniscience”.
“Since God knows everything,” he reasoned, “God has notice of this lawsuit.”
Mr Chambers, a state senator for 38 years, said he filed the suit to make the point that “anyone can sue anyone else, even God”.
Like it matters anyways, no jury would convict him. Or her. Or it. Or whatever.
The Soyuz TMA-13 capsule carrying American computer game millionaire Richard Garriott soared into a clear sky atop a Russian rocket as the latest paying space traveler’s family watched from a viewing platform. Also aboard were U.S. astronaut Michael Fincke and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov.
From CNN. Read more…
If you buy into polls this probably wont be an issue, but it’s always good to have a plan just in case.
Is the name of Brian Eno and David Byrne’s new “electronic Gospel” album. It’s their first collaborative release since “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts,” an experimental thing that came out in 1981, which was great, but pretty weird (which is probably why I thought it was great). I’m going to have to listen to ”Everything” a few more times before I know how much staying power it’s going to have, but so far I’m enjoying it. It’s very folksy, but also feels thick and full, if that makes any sense. It’s more straight forward than “Bush of Ghosts,” but the aura of ambient experimental electronica sort of floats around the whole time – something you can sense but that doesn’t punch you in the face like it usually does with Eno. Not that that’s a bad thing.
Anyhow, the album was released independently by them and only on their website. You can stream the entire CD on their page for free, and download one song for free as well. You can also buy the digital version for $9 in DRM free 320kbps mp3s, with an FLAC version available for no extra charge if you’re into that kind of thing. Of course, there’s a super expensive version with a sweet case, a few extra songs, hardbound book, and some other stuff. If, you know, you have $70 that you really hate and want to get rid of. I sure don’t.
Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? is about Jeff Smith, an unknown, running in the 2004 Missouri Democratic primary. With massive grassroots campaigning he becomes a real contender for the seat, running against a local dynasty. Aside from being a good underdog story, it gives some great insight into the state of American politics. The movie seesaws back and forth from inspiring to funny to massively depressing. It’s highly watchable, even if you’re not usually interested in this kind of thing. Certainly worth checking out.
Street Fight is one you may have actually heard of, on account of its being nominated for an Academy Award. Although that’s a pretty highly ignored category, that is unless Michael Moore’s fat head is up for the award.
Anyhow, Street Fight covers the 2002 run for mayor in Newark, NJ. It’s much harsher than Mr. Smith, and the politics get a lot dirtier. Watching it makes you appreciate how accurate the mayoral elections in The Wire were portrayed. The movie follows Cory Booker, who like Smith, is the underdog of the election. Also like Smith’s movie, Street Fight feels fast and easy to watch. If you do decide to watch this one, do yourself a big favor and avoid reading anything about the election until after you’ve seen the movie. Some of the aftermath is pretty crazy.
