Archive for October, 2005
Bush Picks Alito
I’m much happier this time around. I didn’t have much to say about the Harriet Miers nomination. I wasn’t thrilled with it, but I figured that Bush has a reason for choosing her. He must have trusted that her judicial views were properly constructionist, as opposed to activist. I don’t even hold her previous views [...]
Mr. Sulu is Gay? George Takei Comes Out.
I’ve watched George Takei on an interview or two, and met him in person once. At times, my “gay-dar” would go off a bit when I watched him, but I always discounted it. After all, Mr. Sulu is a real man’s man. As it turns out, so is George Takei. Takei has come out of [...]
Ham Radio Weekend
This weekend is a busy one. I’m taking part in a training and testing weekend with the local ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services). We’re meeting at a local fire station with a group of prospective new hams, and giving them a crash course in radio rules, physics, safety, and the like. Once we’ve completed the [...]
How Much is In That Thing?
How much beer is in a keg? How much space is in a cargo container? How much toothpaste is in a tube? Cockeyed.com aims to find out. It isn’t so much about the answer, as it is about arriving at the answer. What’s the best way to measure how many cups of beer is in [...]
An Ogre’s Life – Latest Happenings
A week ago, I had the opportunity to do some more training. Being a non-college edumakated ogre, I can’t get a job at the local Community College teaching students. I did a short stint there as a continuing education instructor, but all the students who signed up as interested didn’t show up for the actual [...]
New Journal, Pen, and habit.
Contrary to what may appear to be the case, I have been writing lately. The wife and I shopped for journals, the other day, at Barnes and Noble. I picked up a nice one for my purposes. It has a plain black cover, and fine grid paper pages. I prefer grid paper for writing, because [...]
Michael Lewis in New Orleans – Great Read
In the New York Times Magazine, Michael Lewis tells of going into New Orleans immediately after Hurricane Katrina hit. In the story he tells many interesting anecdotes. The truth, against the stories told in the media and in rumor (which weren’t much different), makes for interesting reading. It’s not a short read, but I must [...]
Bird Flu Basics
My wife and I have had a few discussions of late about the avian flu. With the recent genome mapping of the 1918 flu showing that it was an avian flu, and news of more birds being found with it, this has been a big topic in the media. Google’s blog has a great primer [...]
We’re Never Getting a “Strict Constructionist” SCOTUS
There has been a lot of talk, in the process of the latest Supreme Court nominations, of whether we need “strict constructionist” judges on the court. Count me as one who thinks we do. I do not, however, believe that we’re going to get the type of constructionists we need on the court. While I [...]
Mike Easley – NC’s Jimmy Carter
North Carolina’s Governor Mike Easley is a self-serving, camera-hogging, intellectual lightweight. It’s really sad. His main qualification for being elected in the first place was that he used public funds to put his own face on TV across the state while he was our useless Attorney General. At no time during his governorship has he [...]