Rocket Jones

April 05, 2004

Let the Hockey playoffs begin

The San Jose Sharks found one more marvel in their bottomless bag.

Brad Stuart tied the game with two goals in the final 20 seconds of regulation, and Vincent Damphousse scored with 3:10 into overtime to send San Jose into the playoffs with a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.

With three goals in 3آ½ minutes, the Sharks capped the best season in franchise history with a stunning comeback in both teams' season finales. The Pacific Division champions, seeded second in the Western Conference with 43 victories and 104 points, wound up with the NHL's third-best record one year after finishing 25th.

I said early in the season that following the Sharks was going to be a roller-coaster ride this year. I meant the ups and downs bit, I had no idea I'd be having this much fun on the way!

Posted by: Ted at 05:13 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 04, 2004

Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Old vs New

I've had the original version of this movie sitting on the shelf for awhile, purposely putting off watching it again until the remake was released. I wanted to see the original and the new to make a back-to-back comparison.

The original TCM remains one of the most disturbing films of all time. It's intense in ways that Hitchcock approached only at his very best. Considering its reputation, there is surprisingly little gore and only one murder by chainsaw. Where it gets you is the unsettling details in every scene and unrelenting suspense, because it just never lets up.

A major gripe with the original was "poor cinematography". It's pretty dark and murky much of the time, which adds to the atmosphere in my opinion. I also don't agree with the complaints about plot (or lack thereof). This movie doesn't tie up loose ends, and there's very little understandable motivation for the characters. Imagine the scariest book you've ever read, but the first and last chapters are missing. You get the distilled essence of terror, without any of the context that helps you to rationalize it. That multiplies the experience because things happen that are just on the edge of making sense.

The DVD contains several scenes that never made it to the theatrical release, including background and thoughts from the actors involved. There are plenty of other extra features too.

On to the remake. The story has been changed. It makes (a little) more sense than the original, but much of the urgency and sense of not knowing what was coming next was lost in the update. The movie just feels more modern, and that's not a good thing in this case.

The acting is better. The actual filmwork is better. The 'good guy' characters are more likable. The special effects and gore are more gruesome, and there's more blood splashing around. The lead female character, played by Jessica Biel, is a good looking lady, and she gives a fine performance.

But throughout the film the director went for the modern touches, like gore and sex jokes. Instead of suggesting, they went for explicit. Even the creepy little details that made the original so memorable seemed contrived in the remake, placed for effect instead of being the disturbing minutinae that set the scene.

So far, everything I've said about the remake are in comparison to the original. And don't get me wrong, the remake is a pretty good movie. It will scare the hell out of you. Some people will like the new version better because it is a more complete movie. My personal opinion is that the original is a scarier experience.

The remake DVD is pretty sparse in the special features department, offering the TV ads, the movie trailer, and a lame-ass music video.

UPDATE: I was reminded that the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies were inspired by the real-life person Ed Gein (warning: link has some graphic photos). Despite what the movies claim, they are not true stories. Ed Gein was also the inspiration for Bloch's Psycho, later turned into the peerless classic film by Alfred Hitchcock. For more information on Gein and other mass and serial murderers, check out the Crime Library.

Posted by: Ted at 08:21 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Beats a lawn jockey

You're in your yard, admiring all the hard work. You've spent hours fertilizing and mowing, trimming and edging, not to mention the back-breaking landscaping projects you've done over time. But there's something missing, you need a focal point. Something that will make the whole neighborhood stop and say 'wow'.

Nothing says wow like real military hardware.

Picture the impact your tulip bed would have as it frames a 155mm howitzer. That mixed bed of hostas perfectly sets off your new M-5 Stuart light tank (as an added bonus, it'll keep those pesky kids out of your yard too!).

The Kenosha Military Museum not only has lots of real vintage hardware on display, but they also buy and sell equipment. Spring is in the air, why not spruce up in a big way?

Posted by: Ted at 10:20 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 03, 2004

The only thing wrong with space flight is there's not enough of it

CNN has this nice article on the X-Prize.

When the competition was announced just eight years ago, many were skeptical that any privately financed team could meet the requirements to collect the prize: Build a spacecraft capable of taking three passengers 62.5 miles (101 kilometers) above the planet, then make a second successful suborbital trip within two weeks.

"It's going to happen in 2004. Someone will win it," said Gregg Maryniak, director of the St. Louis-based X Prize Foundation, a group created to spark development of reusable spacecraft that can take average citizens into space.

Rocketman Blog has followed progress closely, and has conducted a series of fascinating interviews with X-prize candidates. In fact, he's gotten a job with one of the companies as a result of his blog!

So if you're interested in the commercialization of space (and you should be, it's the next boom to happen), then head on over to RocketmanBlog and read up on some of the pioneers taking those first baby-steps.

Posted by: Ted at 04:25 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Stripper Music

According to the news last night, pole dancing is the newest fitness fad for ladies. So be it, who am I to argue? Now just on the off chance that some wonderful lady wants to pole dance for me, here's a few songs I'd love to hear during the show:

Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company
South City Midnight Lady - Doobie Brothers
Dreadlock Holiday - 10cc

C'mon folks, let's hear from the peanut gallery. Guys, what would you want to hear? Ladies, what songs would inspire you to give your best performance?

(6/8/2005) Update: Besides the great suggestions still trickling in in the comments, I've collected a lot of them into one long list of "Favorite Stripper Music". Enjoy, feel free to add to the list via the comments, and most of all, thanks!

(8/22/2005) Update: Up until now, when someone asked about where to find pole dancing lessons, all I could do was offer generic advice about where to look in their local areas, and to wish them luck.

Until now.

This first link, A Pole Lot of Fun, looks to be a 'party' style setup, similar to the way Tupperware used to work.

We bring the pole, you bring the friends and together we create a magical night of fun, laughter, and support.

Follow that link above and see if there's someone local to you.

This link, PoleStars, is based in the UK and Australia. It looks like this is more of the traditional class instruction on the art of pole dancing and strip tease.

Both sites offer equipment and clothing too. If you try either of these, or something else you've found in your area, drop by and leave a comment to let everyone know how it went.

Posted by: Ted at 10:12 AM | Comments (104) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 02, 2004

The longest journey starts with but a single step

I honestly don't know if anyone who stops by Rocket Jones practices Islam. But it can't hurt anyone to read this, and if so inclined to go here.

Posted by: Ted at 05:10 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

I never suspected, but it makes sense

When NASA's Spirit rover was crippled computer-wise in January, there were a lot of potential reasons for the problem. NASA has finally figured it out, and think they may have also discovered what befell the Beagle 2 probe too.

Posted by: Ted at 04:35 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

San Jose Sharks - NHL Pacific Division Champs

Here's the story of how the San Jose Sharks hockey franchise got its name, from the official Sharks website.

(in the extended entry, for those bored by sports stuff.)

Posted by: Ted at 11:48 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Perspective

This came via email, and I haven't checked the numbers (not going to, either), but the gist of it is correct.

Compared with Gasoline

Think a gallon of gas is expensive? This puts things in perspective.

Diet Snapple (16 oz @ $1.29) = $10.32 per gallon

Lipton Ice Tea (16 oz @ $1.19) = $9.52 per gallon

Gatorade (20 oz @ $1.59) = $10.17 per gallon

Ocean Spray (16 oz @ $1.25) = $10.00 per gallon

Brake Fluid (12 oz @ $3.15) = $33.60 per gallon

Vick's Nyquil (6 oz @ $8.35) = $178.13 per gallon

Pepto Bismol (4 oz @ $3.85) = $123.20 per gallon

Whiteout (7 oz @ $1.39) = $25.42 per gallon

Scope (8 oz @ $3.99) = $59.04 per gallon

And this is the REAL KICKER...

Evian water (9 oz @ $1.49) = $21.19 per gallon?!?

$21.19 for WATER - and the buyers don't even know the source.

So, the next time you're at the pump, be glad your car doesn't run on water, Scope, or Whiteout, or - God forbid - Pepto Bismal or Nyquil.

Posted by: Ted at 10:11 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Made me think of lovely cheese*


Play something sweet

Play something mellow

Play something I can sink my teeth in like jello

Play something I can understand

Play me some Brickyard Blues.

Play something sweet
And make it funky
So I can lay back and grin like a monkey
Play something I can understand
Play me some Brickyard Blues.

-- Three Dog Night

*If I have to explain...

Posted by: Ted at 07:39 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

April 01, 2004

Even more spacey techie exploratory coolness

Scientists have issued a weather forecast for the oily oceans of Titan, Saturn's major moon and a target for a space probe landing next year.

Read all about it here.

Here's a link for more on the Cassini mission and the Huygens probe.

Thanks to Across the Atlantic for the pointer.

Posted by: Ted at 10:54 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

I like McDonalds

Here's a neat page about the oldest-surviving McDonalds (the third one built), with pictures. Growing up, we had one very much like this in our town. Not real close, it was a treat for us every time we went.

Thanks to Transterrestrial Musings for the pointer.

Burger King sucks.

Posted by: Ted at 09:57 AM | Comments (16) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

The simplest game in the world

Perfect for those days you just don't want to work that hard.

Posted by: Ted at 06:14 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Finally!!!

March 2004 will go down in the family history as one rotten month all around. Good riddance! Here's a partial rundown, because I need to vent a little, but I'm going to stay vague about some things.

1. Liz's trip to the emergency room when they discovered a mass in her head. She's fine, no problem, getting taken care of.

2. Two other family medical situations, both potentially severe in the long term. One was discovered very early and wil be taken care of in the immediate future, the other one is pretty much untreatable.

3. Me getting the flu or whatever the hell it was. It's been a long while since I've felt that lousy for that long a time. Getting better.

4. Still medical-related, a friend and co-worker was diagnosed with an agressive cancer. It started a month or two ago, and it doesn't look like he'll survive the year. He's right around my age.

5. We had a serious Mookie issue that I won't go into other than to say trust was betrayed. To her credit, she admitted it, feels terrible, and knows she screwed up (none of this "you don't understand, you're being unfair" nonsense). We're working through it together.

6. At work, I got notice that my position is being terminated. I work for a great company, and the day they called to tell me that, they pointed me at a possible new position, which I'll interview for in the next week or two. I expect I'll still have a job with my company, just in a different place. Because I didn't have enough stress going on in my life, fate added this little cherry on top.

So all in all, we're doing fine. There was nothing there that doesn't happen to many people every day, it just didn't have to happen all in one month, ya know? Thanks to my wife Liz, who helps me stay sane (and I, her), and Mookie (who's a good kid if a little odd sometimes), and the two who've already gone out into the big bad world, I know that there's more right with Ted's Universe than wrong.

Thanks also to my friends who let me vent (you know who you are), and those who sent emails and comments. You're appreciated and cherished.

I feel better now. It's a whole new month...

Posted by: Ted at 05:46 AM | Comments (19) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

March 31, 2004

This is too funny

Paging Mr. Green. Paging Mr. Green.

We've all gotten those Nigerian scam emails, but did you know there's a group of people who - like fellow Munuvian Mr. Green - live to mess with those scumbag fools? Going one better, they ask for photographic evidence of the scammer's sincerity, preferably holding up a sign or otherwise doing something unusual to prove their authenticity.

Look in the extended entry for a couple hilarious examples. Found on Eros Blog (not safe for work).

Posted by: Ted at 08:31 PM | Comments (14) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

A good overview of rocket history

Not just good, it's excellent. Over at the Ministry of Minor Perfidy. Blast off and go read.

Posted by: Ted at 01:15 PM | Comments (38) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Yay! Redux

Once again, the traditional Munuvian greeting, welcome and joyful exclamation (it's a compact language) echos through the hills as Munuviana continues it's assimilation of the blogosphere celebratory birthday expansion.

The newest batch to bribe their way through customs (hint: pineapple fried rice) have arrived. Stop by and say hello to:

Rambling Rhodes
XSet
Lemur Girl
Educated Beyond Her Intelligence
Primal Purge
Flying Space Monkey Chronicles

There are more pushing and shoving patiently waiting in line to join the Munuvia clan. They should, because we are the cool kids.

I expect there will be many housewarming parties held as folks get settled in.

Posted by: Ted at 08:07 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Angels and Demons

Interesting style. Many broken links, you'll have to explore a little. Not safe for work.

Posted by: Ted at 05:29 AM | Comments (32) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

March 30, 2004

More than one way to skin Shroedinger's cat

To become a scientist just like Daniel, you can either spend thousands of dollars in a structured and professional setting, or you can let your natural curiosity take over with loving, helpful guidance.

(Mookie, I would kill you!)

(in the most loving and kindest way possible, of course)

Posted by: Ted at 02:26 PM | Comments (14) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

Preventing Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace

A pragmatic approach.

(in the extended entry)

Posted by: Ted at 05:31 AM | Comments (36) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)

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