This looks eerily familiar...

Kinda reminds me of the night I proposed to the missus...

Not really, but the newest cartoon by the amazing Josh Alves.

So Josh, when is the TLC collection coming to book form?

Have you been "plutoed" lately?

Pluto may have gotten a raw deal from the astronomical pundits because of its asinine demotion to a "dwarf" planet, but the term "plutoed" has won the Word of the Year Award as determined by the American Dialect Society.

The society defined "to pluto" as "to demote or devalue someone or something, as happened to the former planet Pluto when the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto no longer met its definition of a planet."

Way to go Pluto. There are many of us out there still routing for you, god of the underworld and underdog, in the icy abyss of space and we still believe you are a real planet, orbiting the Sun like the rest of us other "planets".

Since its demotion to the "minor leagues" per se, Pluto is getting more media attention than any of the other celestial bodies. Here is a link to what I thought is a very entertaining column by sports writer Frank Deford, using Pluto's demotion to the minor leagues to draw some funny parallels to the sports world. Here is an audio link of the column, which causes some chuckles all by itself.

Thanks to my bro-in-law for the links.

Snakes on a Plane 2: Scorpions Revenge

Thought Snakes on a Plane was a wild ride? Here come the sequel starring everyone's favorite stinging arachnid: the Scorpion.

Two separate people on two separate flights were stung by stowaway scorpions. No one knows how either one of the little buggers got on the planes. Luckily, none of the bites delivered were fatal, unlike the snakes in Sammy Jackson's high altitude thriller.

Zune R.I.P.

While Microsoft, already behind in the hand held multi-media department, might be trying to make a fight of it by releasing their beloved Zune in a vein attempt to challenge the iPod by offering a music player with video capabilities and Wi-Fi connectivity, is now definitely going to be laid to rest by the release of Apple's new iPhone.

Now to mention it, it actually took several tries to get to Zune's webpage from the Microsoft homepage. It just didn't work right (no surprise there), and finally had to take four extra steps to get where I wanted to go.

Apple once again is a trend setter and the leader of the revolution by revolutionizing the phone.

Oh sure, you can buy phones that you can type on with a cheap little keyboard and play music on, but Apple is going to lead the way again by offering a phone, MP3 player, Wi-Fi connectivity, video player and an internet browser all in one compact package. Plus, it is all touch screen.

Watching a video? Hold it upright to watch it portrait style, and then simply turn the device on its side and the video goes wide screen automatically. No buttons to push. No commands to type in. It is intuitive, like all of Apple's products.

I'm just scratching the surface with what this new phone can do. It runs on Mac OS X and has Safari built right in to browse with. Amazing!

The only problem Apple will run into with this product (besides licensing the name) is if they price it too high, because right now the Mrs. and I are trying to figure out to get a pair when they are finally released.

All right, maybe I'm the only one scheming how to get paid for some medical experiments to get an iPhone..

Hey, where's the snow?

The Mrs. and I reside in the beautiful state of Maine, famous for Acadia National Park, Mount Katahdin, and Moosehead Lake. Most years, we have tons of snow to play in.

The snow is not here, but here.

Not that I want 19 feet of snow in one sitting that cripples the state, but a couple feet would be great to do some snowshoeing, and best of all, a little playing in the snow in the 4x4.

4x4? C'mon, I do live in Maine...

Are you kidding me?

This has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever seen.

It's no wonder print media is going out of business. Good thing I got my subscription to Time for free. Oh wait, it's on their website too...

Mastodon Rocks!

For some crazy reason, I absolutely love Mastodon!!! And their website address says it all: Mastodon Rocks.

"Leviathan" was an amazing album. I haven't had a lot of time to listen to their new offering, "Blood Mountain" yet (already on the iPod for the gym in the morning), but I have already checked out this song a bunch of times. "Colony of Birchmen" is just a great song. Amazing intricate guitar with not a lot of screaming. And some great vocal harmonies to boot. Still, not for the faint of heart.

Check out the "Birchmen" video. If you dare...

This week's sign of the Apocalypse

Unbelievable. But, in this day and age, unfortunately becoming the norm...

It's all in the terminology...

Leave it to PETA to focus on the important things, namely this.

Here ya go...

Amy, this is just for you!!! I am blogging once again!

If there is anyone out there that actually still reads this blog, I am going to attempt some regularly-scheduled blogging on various current events and the upcoming Winter Movie Season.

So, hi to the whole Philly Clan. We'll be down to crash on your couch in April and see if I can't get a picture with King Tut.

Maybe they'll let me crawl in the sarcophagus with him...

Philly here I come!!!

April is a ways off, but it is never to early to start planning our trip to Philadelphia, PA this spring to see our friends the Bookers and to see...

King Tut!!!!


I wonder if they will let me get in the saracophagus to get a picture with him. I kinda doubt it...

Jericho to bite the dust?

I read an Ass-ociated Press article in my local paper about shows that are likely to bite the dust early in the Fall '06, and one of my new favorites Jericho was listed. The writer said the show was "too dark" and depressing and not likey to survive because of this.

I hope he's wrong.

After watching the first episode, I had goose bumps. The premise of the show is that in the small town of Jericho, Kansas, small town life is at its best. Prodigal son Jake returns home in time for a nuclear mushroom cloud to be seen in the distance. The first show focuses on the first 18 hours after the bomb blast. A group of school kids goes missing, an empty prison bus is found on the side of the road, and the townsfolk already start turning on each other. The tension is palpable.

The last scene of the show shows the character Emily driving to Witchita to pick up her hubby-to-be. The road seems to be very bumpy and she pulls over to find out what the problem is. Waiting for her are hundreds of dead crows littering the road. I had the chills.

Like most great shows, if they don't pull in the ratings they get cancelled. I hope this isn't the case with Jericho.

Planet Earth

Now that I am teaching Earth Science, I am ever watchful for cool shows that highlight the amazing creation that we inhabit. Believe it or not, CBC has got an amazing documentary going right now called Planet Earth.

I've unfortunately missed the first two parts of the five part series, but was able to watch Freshwater last night, and am currently watching Caves.

Up next week: Deserts!

Great series. Visually rich and with great narration by David Attenborough.

Highway Companion

In addition to a free pound of Starbucks coffee (oh boy!!!), my sister-in-law got me the new Tom Petty album for my birthday.

Pretty good album overall considering I am not a huge Petty fan. Highlights include the rocker Saving Grace, Square One, Flirting with Time and Turn this Car Around.

Great gift, but if I was buying it myself, I would download these four songs from iTunes and call it good

Willie's at it again....

Willie Nelson, now 73, is smokin' the wacky-tabacky again and got cited for it:

Willie Nelson and four others were issued misdemeanor citations for possession of narcotic mushrooms and marijuana after a traffic stop Monday morning on a Louisiana highway, state police said.

That Toby Keith song that goes "I'll never smoke weed with Willie again" comes to mind...

Wild Blue Yonder

Being my birthday and all, I went to Border's got myself a new graphic novel, Marvel Knights Spider-Man: Wild Blue Yonder.

While the cover is nothing to write home about (the cover of issue #13) with Wolverine supposedly hitting on MJ, the addage "don't judge a book by its cover" really comes into play here.

When you actually get into the meat of the book, it is awesome! Great story featuring the Absorbing Man aka Crusher Creel, the Owl (weak character in my opinion), the Fantastic Four and the Avengers.

This is a well done series with great art by Billy Tan and Mark Buckingham, and a story written by Hollywook heavyweight Reginal Hudlin (House Party, Boomerang). Well worth the purchase.

I'm all hooked up...

Well, the wireless home network is now functional and secure!!! No cheap buggers stealing my signal and I can sit in bed and blog!!!

So, I now have my Apple Macbook Pro (I still love to say that), a Targus Tornado Chill Mat, and my Belkin wireless. I was a bit sceptical of the Chill Mat at first, but the results were instantaneous. The Pro radiates a lot, and I mean a lot, of heat (this doesn't help), and the mat pulls it right off and keeps that beautiful Titanium chassis nice and cool.

So hear I sit wireless, happy, and watching Antiques Roadshow.

OK. Two outta three ain't bad...

Five new dramas worth your time this fall

MSNBC highlights five new dramas for fall that they have deemed worthy of watching this fall. Here is the list:

"Six Degrees"
"Heroes"
"Jericho"
"The Nine"
"Kidnapped"

While all five sound appealing, the two I am going to sink my teeth into are "Jericho" and "Heroes".

How can you go wrong with super-powers and nuclear blasts?

9/11

9/11 remembered. Let us a nation and the world never forget what happened five years ago on this date.

Where were you five years ago when you heard the news that our nation had been attacked? What did you feel? Anger. Fear. Sorrow. I felt all of those emotions and think we should always keep those feelings close at hand as we think about those cowardly individuals that would attack not only our beloved country but all nations throughout the world that love and embrace freedom.

Take time today to remember those who died on that awful day, in the attack and those awesome first responders that also gave their lives. Also take time to pray for those not only from our country but those from all over the world fighting for freedom and democracy in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the rest of the world.

Blogging also ensues because...

...I got one of these bad boys!!!

Just in case you thought I died...

...I really didn't.

There are a few factors contributing to the complete lack of posting during August without the slightest warning or update. I must confess, one was the complete lack of any desire to do so. Just didn't want to sit down long enough to write even a mere sentence. "Taking August off. Be back soon." That would have been easy right?

The second reason and more understandable is the fact that after 10 years with the same employer I decided to stretch my wings and took a new job with a couple of guys I know from church that run an alternative ed program. So I am now working with and teaching high school kids. And I am scared out of my wits. But I serve a big God, and know that I am in the right place and that Jesus is in the back of the boat when the storm rages and the seas get rough.

But even with having the God of infinite power on board, I have still had some major stress (mostly self imposed), so therefore most of my free time of late has been put into prepping for classes.

Another rough patch in August (the first day of our vacation in fact) was that my dear old cat that I have had for nine years and had reached the ripe old age of 17 died in his sleep. Rest in peace old buddy.

On the flip side, the kitten Tut has become very sweet. Likes to spend time with us. I know that he misses Leo, but I think he likes not being chased off the bed.

Plus, Halo Live still rocks!!!!!!!!

My wife has also had me working hard on her honey do list! New kitchen cabnets for the the tenants, bathroom sink for our bathroom (although that project has not gone as well as planned!) and a new kitchen floor! But, she is happy :)

Liz who?

Let us turn out attention ever so briefly to motorsports. If I walked into a room and said, "Danica Patrick" out loud, the chances are someone would know who she is whether they are a race fan or not.

What about Liz Halliday? Ever heard of her? With a win this weekend at Portland, she has become the winningest female in American Lemans Racing with 6 career wins. She wants to be the first woman to win the 24 Hours of Lemans. And not only is she an incredible racer, but she competes in Equestrian events and want to gold medal with the USA Olympic Team.

Why don't we hear about her in the news?

Well, we've just returned from our annual weekend at Peaks-Kenney state park. Beautiful place with great campsites, a nice beach, and running water (if I have to cut the technological umbilical, I at least want to shower and so forth).

This is the point where I usually post all kinds of pictures from the weekend. I really didn't take any. It rained a couple of times and it was mostly overcast, so nothing really struck me as being particularly photogenic. Even though I saw a Pileated Woodpecker doing his thing. It is the first one I have seen in the wild. I know, I live in Maine, it is mostly wilderness. But I live in the city and large woodpeckers just don't seem to hang on out the telephone pole across the street.

Nice trip overall.

It's that time again

It's Friday night, summertime, and it's Bangor. It can only mean one thing...

Time for free movies downtown courtesy of River City Cinema!!!

This week's movie: Foreign Correspondent

Foreign Correspondent (1940) is another of director Alfred Hitchcock's spy thrillers. It was his second American film (and hired out by David O. Selznick to independent producer Walter Wanger), one that closely resembles his earlier British films: The 39 Steps (1935) and The Lady Vanishes (1937). Originally, the screenplay was based on Vincent Sheean's best-selling autobiographical memoir Personal History, but then it evolved into an original story/screenplay (crafted by screenwriter Charles Bennett and Joan Harrison). (Additional dialogue was added to the screenplay by novelist James Hilton and Robert Benchley and many other uncredited scriptwriters.) It was touted as "The Thrill Spectacle of the Year!"

The propagandistic tale of international intrigue from United Artists, involves a hard-headed, but relatively inexperienced American crime reporter and foreign correspondent caught in the political turmoil of Europe just before the outbreak of World War II (August, 1939). He becomes embroiled in the duplicitous activities of a peace organization operating as a spy ring. The film is best remembered for a number of memorable scenes, including a political assassination in the rain on the steps of the Amsterdam Town Hall, and a trans-Atlantic clipper plane crash.

The under-rated, enjoyable film didn't receive any Academy Awards, but it was nominated for six Oscars: Best Picture (producer Walter Wanger), Best Supporting Actor (Albert Bassermann who learned all his dialogue phonetically), Best Original Screenplay, Best B/W Art Direction (Alexander Golitzen), Best Special Effects (Thomas T. Moulton and Paul Eagler) and Best B/W Cinematography (Rudolph Mate). In the same year, Hitchcock was nominated for Best Director for the Best Picture-winning film Rebecca (1940) - his first American film.

The festivities start at around 8:30 at Pickering Square. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the show!

Strawberry Pickin'

Josh Alves and TLC puts our favourite Australian naturalist out at Tate's doing some berry pickin...

A Whirlwind Few Weeks

Blogging...is...a...challenge....

What a extremely busy few weeks, and not all for good reasons.

We mourned the passing of my wife's grandfather:

OTIS - Ray S. Leavitt, 82, husband of the late Jane M. (Gilmore)
Leavitt, died June 21, 2006, at a Bangor healthcare facility after a brief
illness. He was born Oct. 3, 1923, in Mexico, Maine, the son of Lester L. and Hilma M. (Piper)Leavitt.
Ray was a U.S. Army veteran serving during World War II. He married Jane Sept. 14, 1946, and together they raised their four children in Hampden. Ray was a 57-year member of IUOE Local No. 4 Operating Engineers, and worked on many industrial
projects throughout Maine over his working career. Ray was a past member of the Masons and the Kora Shriners. Ray held many fond memories of his early morning visits at the Otis General Store and hunting seasons spent at his camp in Dixmont. Jane and Ray enjoyed many years together at Beech Hill Pond and their winters in Florida during retirement.

On a happier note, the Mrs. and I just celebrated our six year anniversary!

This was how we spent our special day: Margarita's for dinner (Peter, Grammy Garcia's homemade flour tortillas are way better!), then we hit the Dollar Tree trying to kill an hour before Superman Returns started.

Yes, I know, where has the romance gone...

Yet to come, fireworks pictures and all about our trip across the "DMZ" to watch them.

New Music

"The Wreckers"!!!



Incredible album! These girls are very talented and there is a song on this album for everyone, whether you are a little country or a little bit pop. The highlights are "Leave the Pieces" and "The Good Kind", but every song on this album is great. Download the whole thing because you won't be disappointed.

Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp harmonize amazingly with each other and actually sound so much alike you really can't tell who is who without really listening. Great music and great lyrics as well. You'll forget these girls are both in their early 20's.

Got rid of the Dixie Chicks due to their political tirades? The Wreckers will fill that void quite nicely...

Photo Blogging

Figured it was the time to post some photo resto stuff just to prove that I am doing something besides playing Xbox.

Here is a before/after picture of a photo I redid for a friend. I cropped the picture which got rid of some of the most damaged areas, plus it made the scene less busy and directed your attention to the building.

I repaired the fence, put some grass in and retouched the faded parts, lovingly brick by brick...

Crying

This week's Taste Like Chicken by the one and only Josh Alves!

Make sure to check out his blog to see his other art projects. Plenty of sketches this week.

3 AM...

...And for some reason I'm wide awake. So I guess this is as good a time to start blogging again.

It has come to light as of late that people I know actually read my little blog, so I guess I better start writing.

And what a week it has been. Work has been insane. A cruel, despicable monster has finally elimated. Forza Motorsports has made it into the Xbox collection, which in combination with Halo 2 on Live has crippled any desire to blog.

I've looked high and low to find a Dashboard Widget for the FIFA Word Cup that updates you with scores and news. Surprisingly, nothing yet...

Searched for X-Men (comic not movie) desktop backgrounds and found few of them as well.

The little buddy Esther weighs in on the ongoing discussion about how inappropriate My Space can be and on the general state of teenagers today.

The NHL Stanley Cup finals are on. The Edmonton Oilers versus the Caroline Hurricanes. Go figure. Yeah, I guess the NHL still exists. But do we care? I used to be the biggest hockey fan. I survived the '94 (was that the year) strike. Apparently not this one.

We'll get political for a second. I'm trying to figure out who to vote for to be Maine's next governor. Surprisingly, I found a Wikipedia article listing the candidates. Non of them look good, especially incumbent Democratic candidate John Baldacci. Is it too late for me to get the needed signatures to get on the ballot...

Alright boys and girls, this was a long rambling post, but at least I wrote something. It is now 4:00 AM. Too early to play Xbox?