February 26, 2004
Also suitable for small mouthy children
A t-shirt gift for the scientifically-inclined youngster of any age.
As a matter of fact, I am a Rocket Scientist.Posted by: Ted at 06:00 AM | Comments (37) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
February 25, 2004
darn dang damn
Posted by: Ted at 11:47 AM | Comments (39) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Now that that's settled
We don't have to bother with that pesky election nonsense...
(in the extended entry) Thanks to Daniel for the pointer.Posted by: Ted at 08:17 AM | Comments (37) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Indian Space Program accident update
(press release - link no longer works)
Indian Space Research OrganisationThe current spirit in India concerning their space program is reminiscent of the US in the 60's. Tragedies must be avoided, but risks will be taken and despite setbacks the program will move forward. Infrastructure can be rebuilt. Let's hope that they've learned some lessons in safety from this, so that those lives lost aren't just wasted. Personal note: Hey BATFE, notice that this rocket propellant caught fire and burned? According to you, there should have been a massive ka-boom. Don't you hate it when real-life physics doesn't conform to your fantasy universe? Idiots.
Bangalore, India February 23, 2004 Accident at Sriharikota An accident occurred at the Solid Propellant Rocket Booster (SPROB) Plant in Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota, at about 1600 hours[1030 UTC] today. This happened while a test propellant segment was being prepared for transportation after curing. The propellant in the segment caught fire and caused severe damage to the building, in which the operations were going on. Three persons have escaped from the building with burns and they have been admitted to the hospital in Chennai. Operations are on to rescue the others.
Emergency action have been put on to approach the building and clear the debris and reach the people inside. A high-level Committee has been constituted to look into the matter. Chairman, ISRO, Shri G. Madhavan Nair, has rushed to Sriharikota to personally supervise the operations.
Posted by: Ted at 06:01 AM | Comments (38) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Obligatory "Why I blog" post
Hah, fooled you! Maybe someday, but not today.
I realize that starting a blog is like cutting your first record. You've got years of material stored up inside you, and you can pick and choose a personal 'best of' to get a rip roaring start. It's the second album that separates the Elvi from the My Sharona's (to completely mangle a metaphore or whatever the heck that is). Fortunately, I'm ancient and have a vast store ofPosted by: Ted at 05:24 AM | Comments (42) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
February 24, 2004
If it makes you feel better
Sometimes in traffic, when some chucklehead really pisses me off, I take a deep breath and remember the words spoken by Lt. Miller (Tom Hanks) in Saving Private Ryan:
"Gentlemen, we can do this with a stickybomb."Posted by: Ted at 05:25 AM | Comments (36) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Geek advertising
A t-shirt I designed a few years ago about model rocketry.
(in the extended entry)Posted by: Ted at 05:16 AM | Comments (37) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Rocketing Around the Blogosphere
(insert humorous introduction here)
This is fun in a goofy sort of way (warning: bandwidth alert). Kudos to Silflay Hraka for the pointer. Yahoo is trying their little game again, where they change the privacy policy and everyone is automatically opted-in to allow them to track your movement throughout the internet. Thanks to the guys at Anticipatory Retaliation for the heads up on this one, including the way to opt-out. From The Universal Church of Cosmic Uncertainty:You've heard of the Enigma cipher machine, yes? The Germans used it during WW2 for encoding and decoding messages. If you've always wanted to play with an Enigma, the Enigma-E building kit might appeal. The Enigma-E is a DIY Building Kit that enables you to build your own electronic variant of the famous Enigma coding machine that was used by the German army during WWII. It works just like a real Enigma and is compatible with an M3 and M4 Enigma as well as the standard Service Machines. A message encrypted on, say, a real Enigma M4 can be read on the Enigma-E and vice versa.TL Hines has been posting a series he calls the "Darkhorse Dialogues", where he interviews the fringe presidential candidates. Lots of fun, and it makes you appreciate the solemn dignity of LaRouche and Nader. Ooooo, look Susie. Firemen's equipment. Over at JimiLove's place, he shares a beautiful piece titled The Tao of Two. Little Max already has wisdom beyond his years. Some samples:
No is temporary, but yes is forever Caution is a byproduct of experience If whining never worked no one would do it You control your own mouth, and what goes in it Everyone gets a kiss goodnight before bed Pushing the elevator buttons does not make you a "big boy", knowing which ones to push doesLynn asks two intriguing questions:
If you could have as a pet, any creature from science fiction what would you choose? If you could own any device from science fiction what would you choose?The device was easy for me, I still don't have a pet selected. How about you? Over at Left & Right, Rob has been compiling and revising his list of Top Guitar Players. Lots of debate on this one, you should check it out. Paul has been
Posted by: Ted at 04:59 AM | Comments (46) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
February 23, 2004
Special Ops and so much more
Random Nuclear Strikes. The link goes to a special post about the First Special Forces Group (Airborne), but everything there is a good read.
Posted by: Ted at 11:34 AM | Comments (37) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Accident at the Indian Space Agency
An explosion and fire at the Solid Propellant Fuel Plant. Undetermined numbers of fatalities and injuries reported.
Posted by: Ted at 10:14 AM | Comments (38) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
What Earth is obstructing the view of
Everyone is focused on Mars right now, but Fred at The Eternal Golden Braid points up some links about our other planetary neighbor - Venus. I highly recommend this interesting collection of images, exploration history and timelines.
Posted by: Ted at 08:51 AM | Comments (37) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Flight Report (lack thereof)
Our rocket was scheduled to make her maiden flight this weekend, but high winds prevented it. I could've launched, but probably would not have gotten it back from the drift under parachute.
Posted by: Ted at 07:24 AM | Comments (38) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
SQL
For our wonderful new work system, I'm having to learn more than the barest smattering of SQL I know. Any advice on some good books or website resources?
Posted by: Ted at 07:11 AM | Comments (39) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Something I noticed
When you pull into the parking lot at work with the song "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" rocking at full volume, your co-workers all cheerfully greet you while trying to casually locate the nearest cover and concealment.
Posted by: Ted at 06:04 AM | Comments (35) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
February 22, 2004
For Susie and Jennifer
In a continuing effort to be fair and balanced, I've googled up a bunch of image links of firemen for Susie, Jennifer and other interested readers. Enjoy, and I hope it distracts you from life's wobbles for a little bit.
But first, a joke: Why do policemen have bigger balls than firemen?They sell more tickets. Now these links will seem so much better in comparison. Some aren't really firemen, but I don't want to hear any complaints. Comprende?
Fireman.
A wrestler called "The Fireman"?
Fireman.
Fireman.
Fireman.
Fireman.
Fireman. Y'know, while finding these I came across some old old photos of firemen, as far back as 1880's. That got me to thinking about a guy here in town who collects and restores old fire engines. I wonder if he's still around? Hmmmm... maybe something for a future post on Rocket Jones.
Posted by: Ted at 09:55 AM | Comments (38) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
Descon
Des-what?
Descon stands for Design Contest, and it's an online rocketry event held three or four times a year. People from all over the world enter their original rocket designs, and folks vote for their favorites. Prizes are donated by various hobby businesses and are awarded. Sometimes there's a theme or specific requirements, sometimes it's a free for all. Mookie won it once, when she was 10 years old. I believe she's still the only kid and only female to ever take first place. In the extended entry is a photo of her posing with her prize.Posted by: Ted at 09:03 AM | Comments (42) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
February 21, 2004
Movie Review Time
Boy Howdy, do I have some off-the-wall fun for you this time around. Y'all know that I enjoy the lesser-known classics (translation: crappy movies), but some of what I watch falls more literally into the actual classic category. These movies are perfect examples.
The Gorilla (1939) – This is a true Hollywood production, and the quality shows. Featuring great sets, real actors, a plot and special effects, this early spoof of horror movies has plenty of slapstick comedy to go along with the thrills and chills. Bela Lugosi makes a fine butler, and the Ritz Brothers play a trio of private eyes hired to protect a millionaire targeted for murder. The high point of the movie is the funniest maid (Patsy Kelly) ever to steal a scene, but it’s pretty obvious why the Ritz Brothers never made it as big as Abbot and Costello or any of the other great comedy teams. Nevertheless, this zany movie is an ok way to escape for a little while. My favorite line: “Did you see that face? I’ll bet when snakes get drunk they see him.†The Ape Man (1943) – More Bela Lugosi and more monkey business! In this film, he plays a mad doctor who ends up the victim of his own experiments. To recover, he must kill. Overall, the mood is darker than in The Gorilla, but this flick still has some humorous moments and a rich plot full of details and minor storylines. The ending has a twist that you’d never guess in a million years. When The Ape Man was originally released, World War II was in full swing and there are frequent mentions of it. In fact, in one scene a female character makes fun of a guy for being a “4-F rejectâ€, and he proudly let’s her know that in 30 days he goes into the Navy. She apologizes immediately. Something else I noticed, in both movies, was that guns were common and unremarkable. Many of the characters (male and female) were armed, and casually pulling a pistol out for protection caused no great reaction from other characters. At the same time, the guns were always handled safely and nobody was trigger-happy, in fact they were never used at all in The Gorilla and not until the very end of The Ape Man – and it wasn’t a hail of gunfire either. Both of these movies get two opposable thumbs up.Posted by: Ted at 09:02 PM | Comments (38) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
I'm stealing their joke too!*
A new aphrodisiac pizza is being test-marketed. Called Pizzagra, it features a heart-shaped crust.
The Pizzagra toppings include: * Tomato, garlic and basil base: Basil is a renowned stimulant, helping to boost sex drive, fertility and produce a general sense of well being for body and mind. Garlic traditionally stirs sexual desires and has been used for centuries to cure everything from the common cold to heart ailments. * Artichoke: The French once believed women who ate artichokes were reputedly loose. * Asparagus spears are rich in vitamin E, which is thought to stimulate the production of sex hormones. * Red peppers are said to stimulate circulation. * Onions: Egyptian priests were forbidden to eat onions, as it was once believed they stirred up passions. * Ginger, which stimulates circulation and heightens sensitivity. * Cardamom, which contains two androgens (hormones that increase sexual desire in men) and cineole, a compound known to stimulate the central nervous system. * Chocolate spread: Chocolate is a popular aphrodisiac containing the chemical, phenlethamine, which is released naturally in the brain when humans fall in love. * Banana slices: Bananas are rich in potassium and B vitamins, necessities for sex hormone production.No mention is made if that's all on one pizza. Yuck. Thanks to The Meatriarch for indirectly pointing the way to this story. His link to Naked News led me to watch their preview, which had the pizza story. A little google action and voila! *Oh yeah, their joke: "I wonder if it has a self-rising crust?"
Posted by: Ted at 02:00 PM | Comments (38) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
All Hail Pixy Misa!
Mucho thanks and manly back-slapping hugs to Pixy. With his efforts, all the Munuvians are now hosted on a new and much faster server. This means that Rocket Jones will now rocket*.
*Speed-wise that is. Expect the drivel to continue as before.Posted by: Ted at 01:53 PM | Comments (34) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
February 20, 2004
Field Trip?
Eric of Off Wing Opinion is proposing a blog meet for the metro DC area, to be held, appropriately enough, at a Washington Capitals game.
I'm making tentative plans for this one. Anyone else? Kevin?Nic?
Victor?
Phillip?
Ross and/or Buckethead?
Rob?
Dawn?
Scott? Who am I forgetting?
Posted by: Ted at 08:42 AM | Comments (42) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
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