Just Explore...

... starting here.

Coop's blog has lots of great stuff. Links to Woodring. And the Sluggo video is worth your 2:40 minutes. I'm finding BoingBoing invaluable, so I'll take the opportunity to thank Mike again!

Texas Bigfoot Action!

Well, since we couldn't muster enough interest in a Fantasy Football league of our own, I went ahead and took the plunge into the free/public ESPN.com world.

We just finished up our league, "houston big dogs", draft. So...
Introducing, your (my) 2006... Texas Bigfoot!!!


QB - Matt Hasselbeck (Seahawks)
RB - Rudi Johnson (Bengals)
RB - Ronnie Brown (Dolphins)
WR - Hines Ward (Steelers)
WR - Reggie Wayne (Colts)
TE - Todd Heap (Ravens)
Def - Pittsburgh (Steelers)
K - Larry ("L.T.") Tynes (Chiefs)

On the bench - Marc Bulger (QB-StL), Fred Taylor (RB-Jax), Ryan Moats (RB-Phi), Eric Moulds (WR-HOU!!!), Brandon Lloyd (WR-Was), Lee Evans (WR-Buf), Ben Watson (TE-NE), Ravens (Def-Bal).

You can follow the team's fortunes at the homepage - here. Or by clicking the football helmet on the sidecar.

[P.S. I drafted 8th of the 10 teams, and was helped immeasureably by Kristine - since she had all the FFL draft knowledge. And success...]

Best Commercial Of Recentness

Please go click on "Foot" on this page.

I usually really, really (really, really) hate commercials. But this one did the job!

Stained Glass Bigfoot

I finally opened a Flickr account - as always, thanks to SolCookie for pointing the way on the interweb.

I'll mainly be putting random pictures, rather than everything photographed. Such as the titular Stained Glass Bigfoot (which might be a work in progess):


Flickr "badge" in the sidecar.

Goodbye, nocturnal killer...

About a week ago, one of the Upside-down Catfish appeared after a long absence. We hadn't seen them in awhile, but this was supposedly not usual - given that they're almost completely inactive at night. Problem was that it was gigantically bloated around the stomach area. A little fish-counting, and we realized one of the female German Blue Rams couldn't be located.

Further investigation shows that Mr. Bloatfish had disposed of his prey (the Ram and two fellow Catfish) the old-fashioned way. I cleared out potential hiding places (plants), and pulled out the big log. Verified the missing, and nabbed the perp. So, now he's gone... can't have a known killer skulking around.

As unfortunate as the whole scenario is, the tank was at its population limit, and this opens the window to a less nocturnal, more active, and hopefully less murderous future.

So long, Flipside and two subsequent "buddies"... So long, nameless harem Ram... I hardly knew ye.

Skinnymalink

What I meant to say was, "It's a long season, and there's plenty of games to play!" Now let's change the subject (randomly).



The new issue [not pictured] of Uncut has a cover article on the "100 Greatest Debut Albums." In it, John Cale discusses four of the debut albums he produced, and he mentions how Iggy used to "skinnymalink" across the tables. Good word - feel free to use it in conversation, whenever possible.



Can you guess what #1 is? How many of the top 10?
[Turn your monitor upside down to read answers... or I'll comment them in later.]

Baseball (quasi)-Playoffs

My problem with regular season Major League Baseball - too many games. I've long thought the World Series is the pinnacle of American professional sports, and the playoffs have been really good when there's something interesting going on. Like 2003, when the long-suffering Cubs and Red Sox looked destined to meet in the WS. And look how that ended up - a total classic meltdown: Bartman, Little/Martinez. But each regular season game just means too little... until now!



Well, in Houston at least. About a week ago, the season seemed almost done-for, and maybe even a little pointless. I think the Astros were 6-1/2 games out of the Wild Card race, nevermind the pennant. Now? A four-game winning streak (8-2 over the last ten), including: a 14-1 domination, actual run support for Clemens, and two pitchers' career first home runs (Oswalt, Pettite). The Astros must be feeling like Jeff Kent.



Now? 1-1/2 games out in the NL Wild Card, in 4th place. There are six teams within 2-1/2 games, and suddenly everything has changed. Each game really means something to Cincinnati, San Diego (1/2 game back, playing Astros), Arizona (1/2), Houston (1-1/2), Philadephia (2, playing the Reds), and Colorado (2-1/2 games back). The Astros are closer to the NC Central pennant now (5 games) than they were to the Wild Card a week ago.

Weird, wacky stuff...

(O yeah, and to answer the question linked behind Kent's walkoff picture: We were over by the Conoco pump, because Cheato wouldn't walk back up to our seats at the end of the 9th. He mocked me for suggesting it! But the thing I said I'd never forget was seeing Roger Clemens come in as a pinch-hitter. Bi-zarre.)

[Update: Just found this NL Wild Card round-up from Thursday.

Schedule: If the Astros plan on making a statement, the current nine-game homestand with Pittsburgh, San Diego and the Cubs is as good a time as any.

Right.]

Sorry so sloppy!

Been gone awhile. Also found "Second Life" on BoingBoing.

Since it's free, I logged in and made my way through Orientation Island, then went exploring. Within a half-hour, I had a welcome-robot give me a free gift - a "Censored Bottom!"

Here's my Brian Eno-inspired Djehaar Josephus, wearing it:

Mark Your Calendar! (Aug 20)

Comedy Central presents -
The Roast of William Shatner! On Sunday, August 20.

So much ground to cover.

The Amazing Screw-On Head

In CO, Mike pointed me to BoingBoing, which links to a number of interesting 'things' each day. Today, they have this post about a new cartoon with potential.

The Pilot playlist.

Part I (of III):


From the mind of Mike Mignola - includes Paul Giamatti, Patton Oswalt, and a werewolf (and I don't mean Molly Shannon).

Red Rocks Show

Had a great time - I'll write up more of the trip, but it was a lot of relaxation and nature.

Missed Go! Team. No big deal to me.


Flaming Lips were entertaining, but continued to stay firmly in the present (with Queen and Sabbath covers).
Setlist, with discussion.

Race For the Prize
Cover: Bohemian Rhapsody
Free Radicals
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 2
Vein of Stars
Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
The W.A.N.D.
My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion
She Don't Use Jelly
(marriage proposal on stage)
Do You Realize??

Encore: Cover of War Pigs with images of Bush, Cheney and Powell flashing on the screen.

No big surprises - "Vein of Stars" sounded really nice - I went to the restroom during "Cosmic Autumn Rebellion." (perfect timing!) Fun stageshow - Alien Cheerleaders, Santas, space bubbles, confetti (controversy over Natl. Parks littering!)...


As always Ween had the more diversified Setlist, but I wish they'd played the following night's when I was in attendance.

The Golden Eel, Baby Bitch (incorrectly attrib.), Spinal Meningitis (got me down), Light me Up and Get me High, Happy Colored Marbles, Take me Away, The GroBe, Even if you Don't, Wavin' my Dick in the Wind, Voodoo Lady, Exactly Where I'm At, Bananas and Blow, The HIV Song, Buckingham Green, Captain Fantasy

::acoustic:: The Mollusk, Chocolate Town, Tried and True, Mutilated Lips,

I'll be your Johnny on the Spot, Dr. Rock, Puerto Rican Power, Icantputmyfingeronit, Ocean Man, Reggaejunkiejew, Someday

::encore:: The Blarney Stone

Let's see... "Blarney Stone," or "LMLYP -> Crimson & Clover" then "Ace of Spades" for an encore(s) - hmmmmm... But seriously, great show and a staggeringly awesome place to see a couple of great bands.