Fifty artists who recorded Prince covers in honor of His Purpleness' 50th birthday June 7 have been slapped with a lawsuit by the short-tempered star. His lawyers now demand that all copies of the tribute be destroyed.
Monday, June 30, 2008
If you needed any more indicators of his huge ego...
I don't even know what to call him, he's changed his name so many times. But he's suing because they recorded a tribute album for his birthday.
Someone's having a party
Some dude was busted with over half a ton of fireworks, safely stored in his home garage. The guy's alarm system went off, and when the police showed up, the police "noticed" the garage full of fireworks.
The fireworks were taken to a secret location to be destroyed.
My gut is telling me that the destruction doesn't involve...whatever it is that one would use to neutralize fireworks without detonating them. I'm too lazy to actually look it up.
The fireworks were taken to a secret location to be destroyed.
My gut is telling me that the destruction doesn't involve...whatever it is that one would use to neutralize fireworks without detonating them. I'm too lazy to actually look it up.
Another reason to get rid of all the unions
The union that covers city employees in Baraboo, WI has filed a grievance that their workers were not called first to sandbag the town during the recent floods. They are demanding that the city employees be paid overtime to compensate for the lost hours of work. An in-depth rant is available at Badger Blog Alliance, it's worth a read.
Wisconsin is a forced union state, as is Colorado. Frivolous grievances like this, as well as some of the shenanigans that have been going on here, highlight how hard it would be to have any self-respect and remain in a union. As an announced retaliation for right-to-work being put on the ballot this November, unions here have put initiatives on the ballot that will kill many small businesses, such as requiring raises to match cost of living, requiring that small businesses with more than 20 employees provide health insurance, and trying to do away with at-will employment. I presume they are planning on shutting down the small businesses, then picking up the battered bruised remnants as even more union workers who will be grateful to have someone protecting them.
Governor Ritter has repeatedly referred to this retaliation as a stand-off, with two groups having guns at each others' heads. I see it more as a hostage situation - the unions are holding voters' livelihoods hostage by threatening lethal retaliation.
(h/t BitchGirls, who summed it up: EVIL.)
Update: when I saw this headline, I thought at first that is said, "Union wants to pay for sandbagging" and thought that maybe a union had offered to do something nice for a change.
Wisconsin is a forced union state, as is Colorado. Frivolous grievances like this, as well as some of the shenanigans that have been going on here, highlight how hard it would be to have any self-respect and remain in a union. As an announced retaliation for right-to-work being put on the ballot this November, unions here have put initiatives on the ballot that will kill many small businesses, such as requiring raises to match cost of living, requiring that small businesses with more than 20 employees provide health insurance, and trying to do away with at-will employment. I presume they are planning on shutting down the small businesses, then picking up the battered bruised remnants as even more union workers who will be grateful to have someone protecting them.
Governor Ritter has repeatedly referred to this retaliation as a stand-off, with two groups having guns at each others' heads. I see it more as a hostage situation - the unions are holding voters' livelihoods hostage by threatening lethal retaliation.
(h/t BitchGirls, who summed it up: EVIL.)
Update: when I saw this headline, I thought at first that is said, "Union wants to pay for sandbagging" and thought that maybe a union had offered to do something nice for a change.
Can I get one for my home office?
Makes my two-monitor setup look shabby. OK, my two-monitor setup IS shabby right now, seeing as my second monitor is kinda pink-tinted on one side and has horizontal bright lines running across it.
(via Codeproject, which is kind enough to drop geek tidbits into my inbox once a day. There's never been a day when they haven't included at least one thing worth reading. Which is more than I can say for Amazon, who decided after I ordered some Spanish books for the kids that I needed Spanish translations of everything on my wish list.)
(via Codeproject, which is kind enough to drop geek tidbits into my inbox once a day. There's never been a day when they haven't included at least one thing worth reading. Which is more than I can say for Amazon, who decided after I ordered some Spanish books for the kids that I needed Spanish translations of everything on my wish list.)
Losing doesn't do much for your image
Not only is the Hillary Clinton Nutcracker
now selling at a third of its original price, but it's also on Amazon's 4-for-3 list. Not that it's going to prompt me to buy one; she doesn't seem to know which nuts to crack. Like a cheating husband's.
now selling at a third of its original price, but it's also on Amazon's 4-for-3 list. Not that it's going to prompt me to buy one; she doesn't seem to know which nuts to crack. Like a cheating husband's.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
I learned something new today
I learned that, unlike the Copeland Falls trail in Wild Basin, you can't just walk a short distance from the top of Alberta Falls and be back at the main trail. Don't even try it.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
The states know carbon offsets are crap
In more rollicking DNC fun, the organizers are upset because only three states have agreed thus far to pony up the green to make their delegates' trips green - they're refusing to shell out the cash for carbon offset credits to cover the emissions caused by coming to Denver.
Hey, I compost, does that mean I qualify for some of that crazy carbon offset money? A little hint to our new Overlord of Greening: just because balloons are compostable (and apparently these aren't) doesn't mean they'll actually end up being composted. Although since you're planning on digging through the trash at each and every event, you can at least pretend that the balloons will compost.
This is almost as good as when a Democrat gets caught for tax evasion.
Update: It just occurred to me, since Andrea Robinson is so closely linked to Al Gore, and Al Gore's deep pockets seem to be where some of the crazy carbon offset cash is disappearing to, is there any chance she's getting some sort of reward for her troubles?
The DNC's director of greening, Andrea Robinson, estimates that each delegate's trip to Denver will generate roughly 1 ton of carbon. About 5,000 delegates will attend.Uh, what's a Director of Greening? Oh, looks like her main qualification is being able to make numbers look good - she was in charge of making Live Earth look like it was carbon neutral. There's something very nose-in-the-air about creating lots of waste and then pretending that throwing money at it excuses it. Oh, I forgot to mention her other qualification: she's an actress. That cinches it for me.
Hey, I compost, does that mean I qualify for some of that crazy carbon offset money? A little hint to our new Overlord of Greening: just because balloons are compostable (and apparently these aren't) doesn't mean they'll actually end up being composted. Although since you're planning on digging through the trash at each and every event, you can at least pretend that the balloons will compost.
This is almost as good as when a Democrat gets caught for tax evasion.
Update: It just occurred to me, since Andrea Robinson is so closely linked to Al Gore, and Al Gore's deep pockets seem to be where some of the crazy carbon offset cash is disappearing to, is there any chance she's getting some sort of reward for her troubles?
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wall-E
My husband took our five-year-old son to see Wall-E tonight. Afterwards, hubby said that he thought the movie was a little too scary for our son, that the female love interest was a little too free with the blasters. I'm hoping they didn't sit in on Wanted by accident.
Reverse discrimination at work
The Denver Post has pointed out yet another way Colorado is trying to stick its foot in it for the Democratic National Convention - the DNC has set up rules for the demographics of delegates that Colorado has apparently failed to meet. It seems that there are too many men selected as delegates, which means that a male delegate must step down and allow a female alternate to move up to delegate position. The male moving down puts the balance of the alternates out of whack, so a male alternate must also step down and allow a female who wasn't even chosen to be a delegate or an alternate to take his place. Which means that some dude just lost his ticket to the convention, all because he has the wrong parts.
I hope that male alternate who's losing his spot at the convention will think long and hard next an affirmative action vote comes his way.
I wonder if there's a M-to-F transsexual who's been counted as his birth gender in the alternates pool? If they moved her up and counted her as a her instead of as a him, it could fill the requirement that the genders be balanced, and the gender balance would remain the same for the alternate pool. Plus the Dems could score another hypocritical point with the gay community, pretending that they're doing something positive for gays instead of being self-serving.
(h/t Joshua Sharf)
I hope that male alternate who's losing his spot at the convention will think long and hard next an affirmative action vote comes his way.
I wonder if there's a M-to-F transsexual who's been counted as his birth gender in the alternates pool? If they moved her up and counted her as a her instead of as a him, it could fill the requirement that the genders be balanced, and the gender balance would remain the same for the alternate pool. Plus the Dems could score another hypocritical point with the gay community, pretending that they're doing something positive for gays instead of being self-serving.
(h/t Joshua Sharf)
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Seems to be a trend...
Apparently national parks are a popular suicide destination. I don't know if the article's author knew about the incident up at Pikes Peak yesterday, which apparently turned out to be a lovesick teen whose girlfriend had just dumped him. Smart girl, that one, dumping him before he decided to take her with him. The kid's OK, despite it taking eight hours to get him off the mountain.
I was going to track down an email address for the author of the article to let him know about the suicide attempt on Pikes Peak, but it turns out he's an AP reporter, so fuck him.
I was going to track down an email address for the author of the article to let him know about the suicide attempt on Pikes Peak, but it turns out he's an AP reporter, so fuck him.
Gila Weiss wants your money
Gila Weiss of My Shrapnel is riding in the Wheels of Love Charity Bike Ride to benefit Alyn Hospital. Gila is one of the most interesting survivor-of-terror bloggers out there, and Alyn Hospital is definitely a worthy cause - it's a hospital in Jerusalem that treats children and teens, regardless of their ethnicity, and specializes in survivors of terror attacks.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Planning a trip into Chaos Canyon...
Rhys and I are going on our first real hike of the year this weekend, in a loop from the Glacier Gorge trailhead, up past Alberta Falls, between the Glacier Knobs, up to Lake Haiyaha and possibly to the top of the Chaotic Cascades. We'll return by taking the trail back down between Dream and Nymph Lake, down to the Bear Lake trailhead. We've hiked the Nymph/Dream/Emerald Lakes trail before, so I don't feel disappointed that we won't be hiking up it again - although it is very pretty, it is extremely crowded and does not make for a peaceful hike. I'd recommend it before hiking Hallett Peak, though, because you get a good look at what you'll be tackling.
I'm hoping Rhys is in the mood to scramble the Glacier Knobs - there's supposed to be a nontechnical route up each one, and rock scrambles seem to perk him up. The downside is that the Glacier Knobs are still early in the hike, so if he gets worn out scrambling I'm going to hear about it the rest of the trip.
I'm hoping Rhys is in the mood to scramble the Glacier Knobs - there's supposed to be a nontechnical route up each one, and rock scrambles seem to perk him up. The downside is that the Glacier Knobs are still early in the hike, so if he gets worn out scrambling I'm going to hear about it the rest of the trip.
And in other stupid car news...
Man runs himself over by remote.
Maybe the guy who drove off Pikes Peak can blame it on a manual transmission and a remote starter.
Maybe the guy who drove off Pikes Peak can blame it on a manual transmission and a remote starter.
Not the way to do it
From the Denver Post:
But more importantly, a medical search and rescue costs big bucks. They won't charge you for search and rescue if you're able to walk out under your own power (although I'm not sure if that applies to having gotten yourself into someplace stupid on purpose), but as soon as they have to do a medical evacuation, you're paying. And it won't be cheap. Although it wouldn't surprise me if they'll charge you the SAR fee even if you are able to walk out on your own, just for being an idiot.
A motorist at the summit of Pikes Peak appeared to have been trying to commit suicide when he ran off the end of the parking lot and plunged at least 800 feet this afternoon, according to El Paso County rescuers.Bad idea. Very bad idea. For one, the fact that Pikes Peak is crazy crowded means that someone's going to see you doing it, so you're quite likely to get rescued if you're even remotely alive - which increases your chances of living life as a semi-vegetable, conscious of what's going on around you but unable to actually do anything about it other than grunt when you mess your pants.
But more importantly, a medical search and rescue costs big bucks. They won't charge you for search and rescue if you're able to walk out under your own power (although I'm not sure if that applies to having gotten yourself into someplace stupid on purpose), but as soon as they have to do a medical evacuation, you're paying. And it won't be cheap. Although it wouldn't surprise me if they'll charge you the SAR fee even if you are able to walk out on your own, just for being an idiot.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Ended up in Winter Park today, kinda by accident. Had a very good cup of coffee at Rocky Mountain Roastery. The kid who was working there was amazingly polite and tolerant of the kids dripping popsicle all over the store.
How does one end up in a mountain town two hours away by accident? The same way one ends up in Cheyenne.
How does one end up in a mountain town two hours away by accident? The same way one ends up in Cheyenne.
Monday, June 23, 2008
It's all about perspective
"He accidentally truncated the entire ***** table (whether ***** have been met or not met over the past two years). But, that's not the problem...."
When you hear that, you know something really bad happened.
When you hear that, you know something really bad happened.
So this is what I've been listening to lately...
Brokenkites.
Electronica that's not quite trance. I've been listening to their stuff for days, haven't gotten tired of it yet. It's good music to work to, not spastic or distracting.
Electronica that's not quite trance. I've been listening to their stuff for days, haven't gotten tired of it yet. It's good music to work to, not spastic or distracting.
So why now?
Why start a blog now? I've been commenting on various other blogs for years, started and abandoned several blogs. Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm overly opinionated. And I've got more fake pretend internet friends than I think I ever knew in the real world, and most of my meatspace friends get updated through email anyway, so it would only make sense for me to update them all at once.
Maybe a better question is, why not before? Well, despite all the personal details that I've revealed online about various details in my past, I'm a pretty private person. I'd be willing to bet that most of my fake pretend internet friends have much of an idea of the recent events that have led me to compulsively check on everyone I ever knew. And I'd be willing to bet that many of my meatspace friends have not much of an idea of what I do at a computer. (no, I'm not running a midget porn shop or hacking into the Pentagon.) But I haven't felt the urge to post any of this stuff online in one place until recently, when I realized that I'd lost touch with some people who were really important to me and maybe lost a little of myself along the way too. I also couldn't decide what direction to take a blog in - but I guess this doesn't have to have a direction. Or more accurately, the direction is me.
So if you've found this, say hello or f&$# you or something - just don't be silent. None of you will agree with everything I have to say, but that doesn't mean there's nothing here for you. Well, OK, at this point there's nothing here for you, because there's nothing here. But hopefully there will be soon.
Maybe a better question is, why not before? Well, despite all the personal details that I've revealed online about various details in my past, I'm a pretty private person. I'd be willing to bet that most of my fake pretend internet friends have much of an idea of the recent events that have led me to compulsively check on everyone I ever knew. And I'd be willing to bet that many of my meatspace friends have not much of an idea of what I do at a computer. (no, I'm not running a midget porn shop or hacking into the Pentagon.) But I haven't felt the urge to post any of this stuff online in one place until recently, when I realized that I'd lost touch with some people who were really important to me and maybe lost a little of myself along the way too. I also couldn't decide what direction to take a blog in - but I guess this doesn't have to have a direction. Or more accurately, the direction is me.
So if you've found this, say hello or f&$# you or something - just don't be silent. None of you will agree with everything I have to say, but that doesn't mean there's nothing here for you. Well, OK, at this point there's nothing here for you, because there's nothing here. But hopefully there will be soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)