Monday, October 29, 2007
Strange but interesting. This is a car advertisement from Great Britain . When they finished filming the ad the film editor noticed something moving along the side of the car, like a ghostly white mist. They found out that a person had been killed a year earlier in that exact same spot. The ad was never put on TV because of the unexplained ghostly phenomenon. Watch the front end of the car as it clears the trees in the middle of the screen and you'll see the white mist crossing in front of the car then following it along the road....Spooky!
Is it a ghost, or is it simply mist? You decide. If you listen carefully you'll even hear the cameraman whispering in the background about it near the end of the commercial. A little creepy but pretty cool! View/download the ad (wmv file) here.
Posted 9:47 AM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Saturday, October 27, 2007
#1. "Under federal law, the Real ID will be phased into use by 2013. After that new federal laws will require a Real ID or a passport to board an airplane in the United States."
#2. "Americans may need passports to board domestic flights or to picnic in a national park next year if they live in one of the states defying the federal Real ID Act."
#3. "An internal passport is an identification document issued in some countries. Its main purpose is similar to that of an identity card, however in some countries internal passports had other restrictive functions. Examples of countries that used or use internal passports include Russia (modern as well as Imperial Russia), the former Soviet Union and, currently, North Korea."
Welcome home.
Posted 1:38 PM by whatley (2) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- "The governors of Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Washington have signed bills refusing to comply with the act. Six others have passed bills and/or resolutions expressing opposition, and 15 have similar legislation pending."
Let's move.
Friday, October 26, 2007
FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA
"...So the staff played reporters for what on TV looked just like the real thing."
Posted 11:32 AM by whatley (3) comments
Comments:
- Too cool. The future of governmental press conferences ... carried live by 'responsible' television stations.
"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain ..."
- Ye gods. This turned into quite the story. It was
covered by all the 30 minute (well, minus commercials, that would make it about 18 minutes) nightly news shows. Who knew? Not me. I guess the pharmaceutical companies must have given it the ok.
Post a Comment- How is this any different than, say, Paul Harvey, advertising as part of his homey chats? Kill your TV.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Hey everyone. Mark Hagerling here. Just letting you know that I joined tRBT. So this is what you've all been doing for the past 35 years. hmm... I probably won't do much blogging but it's good to be in touch and know how everbody is. I don't know how to tell who all is a part of this blog so if you know me (that is...knew me...a long, long time ago) send me a hello via email. I'm very easy to find on the internet: www.hagerling.com
Posted 9:06 PM by Mark Hagerling (5) comments
Comments:
- Hey, Mark. Glad to see that you have stayed with your dream and made it successful. There is hope for us all. Welcome back to the lunatic fringe!
- PS: In my case, lunatic fringe is the hair remaining, of course. My brain is just as functional as it ever was. Um, maybe I should restate that. My mental processes are still the same... no not that either.
How about a quote from "Songs of Experience" by William Blake:
"I went to the Garden of Love,
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.
And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And Thou shalt not. writ over the door;
So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore.
And I saw it was filled with graves,
And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys and desires."
Post a Comment- Welcome aboard Mark!
Funny you should mention not knowing who else "is part" of tRBT. I guess by that you mean who has posting/commenting ability. No one has ever mentioned that before. As admin I'm probably the only one who can see that info. So..
There are 22 registered users, though I think as many as a third (give or take) of those don't really come here anymore. Six or eight post and only 3 or 4 with any regularity. On the other hand I can see from server logs that half a dozen or so non-registered people read regularly. The logs give enough info that I can make a pretty good guess as to who they are and have offered them an invitation but they prefer to just read.
I've often wished more people posted and from time to time try adding things to stimulate renewed interest. That's how the "photo gallery" and "cool tools" links came about (suggestions for additional features always welcome).
Monday, October 22, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Maybe tRBT should start a "Hero of the Week" contest. My nominee would be 75-year-old Mona "The Hammer" Shaw.
Posted 9:19 AM by whatley (2) comments
Comments:
- Banks, too.
1) Get a credit card.
2) Have the bank assure you that the credit limit is "X".
3) Use the credit card for an $8 charge and let it slip your mind.
4) Get phone call from collections telling you you owe $125 for the $8 charge.
5) Determine that the bank entered your address incorrectly so you couldn't get any mailed notices or bills. Have all extraneous charges, except interest (there must be interest), removed due to bank error. Note: the bank has the correct address on several other accounts, but didn't bother to check or cross-reference.
6) Use the card for a project for your folks.
7) Answer the phone and hear an anonymous recorded voice demanding that you call the bank.
8) Call, wade through menus, wait on hold, talk to rude person in collections who presses for myriad personal information and treats you like the dumb, incompetent customer that you obviously are. Be imperiously informed that "your account is presently over the approved credit limit." Offer to go immediately to bank to resolve matter. Be told that your local bank cannot help you with your credit card. Ask to have "over credit limit" charges removed. Be told "I don't think we will do that this time since we waived late charges in September for your convenience" (see #5). Hang up without providing any of the intrusive personal information demanded.
9) Go to local bank. Find out that credit limit is actually one tenth of "X" (see #2 above) and that you are over the limit.
10) Negotiate removal of "over limit" fee. Pay total balance. 11) Ask why, since each card use is electronically processed, over-limit credits are approved. Be told that "to avoid embarrassment to the customer, charges up to 10% over the credit limit are permitted." Suggest that this is a usurious money-making scheme by the bank. Be told (with a straight face): "Not at all. We are providing the best possible service to our customers with our policies."
12) (Next day) Answer the phone and hear an anonymous recorded voice demanding that you call the bank.
13) Repeat number 8). Find out that "Transactions take from 24 to 48 hours to post." Inform rude person number 3 (or is it 6) that I am not responsible for bank's internal inefficiencies. Hang up.
14) Call customer service to complain about shabby treatment and get shuttled to collections. Repeat numbers 8) and 13).
15) (Following day) Answer the phone. Repeat loop.
Where's my big sledge hammer?
Post a Comment- Here's some more about Comcast.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
There was an article is last Friday's CT about Mark Hagerling (good luck finding it, horrible archive on CT website), including a photo from the 'Snake & Albert' days. He's living in NC and has a web site - http://www.hagerling.com. Enjoy!
Posted 9:21 AM by jeichenlaub (3) comments
Comments:
- I saw Mark about 15 (ish) years ago in Ohio. Spent the day with him and his wife and daughter. Had not heard from him since and wondered how he was doing.
I never would have met all of you wonderful people had it not been for Mark dipping my pigtails in the inkwell back in 7th grade at Northwood Jr High. He wrote me a poem so that I would vote for him in some contest. Silly boy, he had me at hello. Thanks for that link.
Post a Comment- I wasn't sure Mark would remember who I am (was?) but sent an email anyway mentioning tRBT. Holy Moley, he remembered, sent a nice email back, and will take a look at the blog (Teri - it's now up to you to browbeat him into joining).
He also has the CT "Encore" article in pdf format on his site here.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Remember pay-per-view columnists? Y'know, where the government pays "independent" editorial writers to be not quite so (wink-wink) "independent"? Get your bullshit meter out (as if we could live without one these days) 'cause you're gonna need it more than ever. In my humble opinion the game is now officially afoot. I think it kicked off today. Why? First I read this in the editorial page of my local paper then saw this in the NY Times (you will not fucking believe the photo).
These people are good. First you have subtlety (read between the lines; Democrats are going to RAISE TAXES!) then a lie so big and bold that it resonates (the photo of a president who has increased the national debt to a point that the dollar is practically worthless in front of a banner saying "Fiscal Responsibility"). Even George Orwell couldn't make up more bizarre stuff.
The saddest thing about all this? It works.
Posted 9:07 AM by whatley (3) comments
Comments:
- RBT Bonus: Readings from St. George.
My favorites:
Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.
The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns, as it were, instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish squirting out ink.
We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men.
What can you do against the lunatic who is more intelligent than yourself, who gives your arguments a fair hearing and then simply persists in his lunacy?
- My bullshit meter burned out from massive overload a number of years ago leading to the assumption that its all bullshit. I'm really tired of the current politics and only vote so I retain my right to bitch. There are no good choices that are viable. Gore will not run I'll vote for Richardson in the primaries. I'm not thinking any farther ahead than that. Thanks for the Orwell page.
"As with the Christian religion, the worst advertisement for Socialism is its adherents."
"In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia."
George Orwell
Post a Comment- Please return all brayed fables to their upright and locked positions. Our captain has illuminated the seat belt sign so all will be safe as we plummet back to earth.
I have been insulating with fiberglass in various forms for the past few days (project for my folks). This just makes the itching and irritation much worse.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
"What would happen if every blog published posts on the same topic, on the same day? One issue. One day. Thousands of voices."interesting....
Posted 11:21 AM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- Yesterday was "blog action day". Anybody notice? Know what the topic was? I didn't. Oh well. Maybe next year.
Al Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize? Maybe yes, maybe no.
Posted 11:04 AM by whatley (0) comments
Comments:
Sunday, October 07, 2007
The Republicans, bootlickers extraordinaire, strike again. Medicare Audits Show Problems in Private Plans: "a demonstrated pattern of failure". Abuses to the (almost all elderly) participants of these various health insurance industry scams are (almost) beyond belief. No matter. That's what lobbyists are for right? So fuck those whiners. Show me the money!
Posted 12:39 PM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Saturday, October 06, 2007
"All over that campus, there are signs up that say, `And God said, build me a university, build it on my authority, and build it on the Holy Spirit,'" Brooker said. "Unfortunately, ownership has shifted."
Posted 8:57 AM by whatley (4) comments
Comments:
- Roll another one....
Just like the other one....
- Well, you can take Billy out of the hills, but you can't take the hills out of Billy.
These pederast dog-fuckers claim to be Christians . . .Maybe I could be considered moral if I defrauded old ladies for millions of dollars so my wife screw undergrads in the back of her Lexus SUV. I mean . . . how many abominations can you fit in one sentence, anyway? Hell it couldn't get much worse if one the undergrads was a goat, but, then again, we haven't heard any details about the daughter. Tune in Tomorrow.
- I wanna be a TV preacher when I grow up. Sex and Drugs and Rock'nRoll (and money, let's not forget about the money).
Post a Comment- Don't you think it's a positive sign that the invaders are finally eating their own for a change rather than preying upon the natives? I have just finished reading a couple of books, one about the Oregon Trail, and another about the history of Vancouver (from ice-age times onward), and am tired of the rules of greed, disease, force and mindlessness that were brought to bear on existing cultures. In light of all the damage that was done in the name of Christian goodness, it is not bad to see such cannibalism within the ranks.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Three (more) reasons to never leave the house again:
1. Thanks to guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and supported by the commonwealth, doctors across Massachusetts are interrogating our kids about mom and dad's "bad" behavior.
We used to be proud parents. Now, thanks to the AAP, we're "persons of interest."
The paranoia over parents is so strong that the AAP encourages doctors to ignore "legal barriers and deference to parental involvement" and shake the children down for all the inside information they can get.
2. Peace activists Medea Benjamin and Ann Wright have been arrested in the U.S. while protesting the Iraq war, but they never dreamed that would prevent them from entering Canada.
3. Soon You'll Have To Ask Permission Before You Fly. It's called the "Secure Flight" program.
Posted 9:17 AM by whatley (0) comments
Comments:
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Johnny had a little lamb,
Its fleece just had to go!
It joined its pal, a little pig,
and roasted real real slow.
First Fall FOWL Fest October 7th
Posted 8:12 AM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
At some risk to my readability score, I present a case of oenophilology, vintage March 1997. "The Grapes of Ralph", by Ralph Steadman (illustrator of Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) "isn't quite Iggy Pop speaking on the economy of South Korea on "The McLaughlin Group" -- but it's close" (March '97 review in Salon.com).
Posted 9:01 PM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Clevlund Plane Deeler Internel Memmo: Connie Schultz Rites At 5th Grade Level. Thats gud!
Posted 5:45 PM by whatley (3) comments
Comments:
- So, does that mean that those of us who actually went on to 12th grade, and often can be found reading books, and who use words like "tautology" and "serendipitous" and "verisimilitude", to say nothing of "phenomenology", have been wasting our time? Now I understand. Unless we all crowd into the peak of the normal distribution, we are arcane, obscure, and generally worthless. Hooray for Normalcy! -or- "I upped my readability. Up yours!"
- OK I'm officially scared and/or depressed. WTF, over! I thought the idea of 12 years of education was to be able to read at a 12th grade level. This is really being discussed at a major American newspaper!? I'm sure we'll be able to find a cure for cancer using the syntax so popular in text messaging and rap music.
This is just fodder for the assholes denigrating liberalism. Wake up people you can't be liberal if you're stupid and if you can't read at an 8th grade level you're stupid. And who the fuck is giving out Pulitzer Prizes these days? Christ!
This is a subject for Lewis Black to tackle on the Daily Show. Like they say you can't make this shit up.
Jeez!!!!!
Post a Comment- Spelling must not be important.
From Cambridge University:
O lny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rgh it pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
Our own Ralph was profiled on Monday (10-01-07). They didn't arrest him as a result, but the Chronicle gave him a front-page spread (Accent, section D). Mild-mannered library scientist by day, Ralphy the Vampire Slayer by night (the answer to the question "Do you have any humorous...questions...at the reference desk?"). See the picture here, and read the profile here.
Posted 10:19 AM by Andy (2) comments
Comments:
- Little known Ralph facts not included in the article:
- Has "special feelings" for Nancy Reagan.
- Every year lobbies Rock & Roll Hall of Fame selection committee to include Wayne Newton.
- Introduced John and Yoko (thanks a lot Ralph).
Anybody got more?
Post a Comment- Some more "Ralph isms"
- Ralph is late for NASA's New Horizons Mission to Pluto
- Ralph is taking his career to the Next Level
- Ralph is infamously prone to wander
- "The Grapes of Ralph" is the result
An 1885 Schoolhouse Blog
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