A Spanish Love Song I Could Have Written

Animator vs. Animation

Clever flash animation.


See it here.

Magical Mystery (Meat) Tour

You've heard it said that no one wants to know what goes into the making of sausage or politics. Well, inquiring minds do want to know, and thanks to photographer Mike Adams we can at least catch a glimpse of the former.

Come and behold the strange, exotic world of Mystery Meat Macrophotography! Enter here -- if you dare!

Transparent Amphibian? No Fibbin'!

In science news, the Japanese have successfully bred transparent frogs:

HIROSHIMA, Japan - Scientists at Hiroshima University have succeeded in breeding see-through frogs — an innovation that could cut down on future dissections.

Transparent fishes have been around for a long time, but Professor Masayuki Sumida said the new line of frogs were the world's first transparent four-legged animals.

Initial reports indicate that they still taste like chicken.

Gundy's Undies in a Twist

Oklahoma State University football coach, Mike Gundy, took sports journalist Jenni Carlson to task this past weekend when someone showed him an article she had written that was rather critical of OSU quarterback, Bobby Reid. It's probably best to see his reaction first:

Scary, huh?

Now let's take a look at what got him so hot and bothered. Read Carlson's column here. Her summation: "Reid is the most talented quarterback in Payne County, but he hasn't proven that he's the toughest."

Sorry to disappoint football fans who think Gundy is a noble coach standing up for his boys, but his little tantrum validated everything Carlson said. Gundy essentially compared Bobby Reid to a little kid who came running home, crying to Mommy, because he had his feelings hurt. And then, to add insult to injury, he says, "Come after me! I'm a man! ... I'm not a kid. Write something about me." That was an insult to every player on the team.

Come on, Coach. I thought football was supposed to build character. It's one thing to defend your players; it's another thing to mother them like they're fragile 9-year-old girls. If they can take a pummeling on the field, I think they can handle a little criticism.

By the way, did anyone notice that Gundy was upset over the fact that 3/4 of the article was inaccurate? Which parts were those? Does that mean 25% of what Carlson said was accurate? Something tells me this coach has his work cut out for him.

Go, Speed Racer, Go!

I watched this cartoon religiously when I was a little kid:

Now, it's being made into a live-action movie by Larry and Andy Wachowski, the guys who brought you The Matrix. The official movie web site promises it "will showcase the kind of revolutionary visual effects and cutting-edge storytelling that have become the benchmarks of the Wachowski brothers' films."

The current release date is set for May 9, 2008.

Respect ALL Cops - Even the Ones Who Break the Law

I think it's safe to say that all members and readers of this blog hold law enforcement officers in the highest esteem. We know that they never flout the laws they have sworn to uphold without good reason.

With that in mind, there's a web site dedicated to singling out officers who fail to extend proper courtesy to other officers. It's called CopsWritingCops.com. From the main page:

If you are a police officer, trooper, court officer, correction officer, telecommunicator, highway patrol, federal agent, or any other type of police (peace) officer either full-time, part-time or retired that has been disrespected or insulted by another police agency (officer) by not receiving some sort of professional courtesy, please email staff (at) copswritingcops.com with the information.

It's chock full of woeful tales of hard-working cops being harassed by other cops. These heart-wrenching accounts are enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Here's an excerpt of one such story from Illinois:

Once she got to my window, she took my license and told me that I was clocked by airspeed doing 84.9 miles per hour. That seemed a little high, but we know not to argue. She asked why the hurry. I told her I wasn't in a hurry and that I was en route to give a LAW ENFORCEMENT defensive tactics training seminar in Springfield. I actually gave her the business card of my contact at the Police Academy. The same academy that trains the state police! I then mentioned that I have been law enforcement for almost 15 years and would appreciate a break. She then told me that she couldn't do that because she was the "catch car". I then rattled off a couple names of who might be flying the plane that was above (Butler, Galvan). I worked with a couple during a DEA detail once and I KNOW they would give me the nod. That didn't even phase her. I then realized that I was getting a ticket. After stopping hundreds of cops on Lake Shore Drive, some state, I was getting a ticket. I have friends in state police districts 2, 5 and of course Chicago. This troop, Trpr Schroder #3512, from district 6 is the only officer to ever give me a ticket while I have been a police officer. Congrats to you.

Look. No one is advocating that we ignore the law. But can't we cut these men and women in uniform some slack?

When you see a squad car parked next to a fire hydrant, don't get irritated. That only means the cop is in a hurry and will be moving it shortly. If a cop leaves his car running while he runs into the drug store, don't dwell on the fact that you would get a ticket for doing the same thing. The cop in that case is probably responding to a call and just had to pick up a few necessities because the store closes before his shift ends.

As for you by-the-book rookie cops who like to hassle off-duty officers: leave those brave veterans alone. If anyone has earned the right to break the law, they have. How can you expect them to protect and serve effectively if they are held to the same standards as everyone else?

"_____________" x2

Hey, "The Onion" thought it was a good topic, too! My penchant for tasteless humor must be reaching new heights.

Marcel Marceau Dead

Famed French mime Marcel Marceau is dead at 84. What do you think?

"_____________"

Marcel Marceau, whose lithe gestures and pliant facial expressions revived the art of mime and brought poetry to silence, died Saturday. He was 84.


Photo by Wolfram Steinberg, Associated Press

The whole story can be read here.


Oooooh, sad to say, the possibilities for bad jokes are just endless on this one. I'll start with the first one that comes to my mind: He's going to be buried in a square coffin that keeps shrinking...shrinking.

Band of Brothers

Let's remember those who are making the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom:

I think Ron Paul should use this ad.