Month: February 2008
John McClane for President in 2008
Now here’s a presidential candidate I can get behind.
McClane was fighting the war on terror before it even had a name — and he’s proven he can win it.
John McClane believes in strong health care — he just doesn’t have time to get to a doctor when he’s being shot at.
McClane gets that technology creates as many problems as it solves. Relying on a gadget is no replacement for doing it yourself.
McClane knows that patriotism isn’t about waving a flag while you sit on the couch watching ‘American Idol’. It’s about getting off your butt and fighting for what’s right.
McClane is the American cowboy for our times. He gets how important action-packed portrayals of true heroism are.
Since he hasn’t announced a running mate yet, given that I’m not in entire agreement with his stance on technology, may I suggest Angus MacGyver? Equally as able to get out and get things done, but his willingness to use and adapt available technology would be a nice balance to McClane’s ‘hands-on’ approach.
(via nyquil.org)
Twice an Uncle
I got this little note from dad last night…
Paul Fain Hanscom was born at 5:58PM AST (6:58PM in Oregon). Emily and Paul are doing fine. They had not recorded height and weight when Kevin called.
I now have two nephews, and Noah has a brother! Yay!
Congrats to Kev, Emily, and Noah. We’re looking forward to meeting Paul!
Another Valentine’s Day Present
Valentine’s Day morning, as I was puttering about the house and getting ready for the day while Prairie slept in, there was a knock at the door. When I answered, I was handed a package from Amazon by one of our landlords. This was a little confusing, as I didn’t remember ordering anything, but it was definitely addressed to me. Okay, whatever…
When I opened it, I was quite pleasantly surprised to find The Cult of Mac, which I’d put on my Amazon Wishlist not too long ago. On the shipping invoice was a nice little note from ‘Liz in Pittsburgh,’ who reads this site and decided to send me a Valentine’s Day present — cool!
So, many thanks to Liz! I got about halfway through yesterday as I was bussing around town, and have been enjoying all the stories of the Mac über-fans (and, unsurprisingly, seeing elements of myself in more than a few of the stories). I hope your Valentine’s Day was a good one as well!
De M’amour Soiez Sure
Our Valentine’s Day presents to each other: poesy rings inscribed with ‘Of my love be sure’ in French.
The original of this 15th century poesy ring can be found at The British Museum, Dept. of Medieval and Modern Europe, London, England.
The original of this ring is enameled gold. The hoop is rounded on the outer edge where it is engraved with an interlaced band between two rows of sprigs. The poesy is engraved in the interior of the ring in period French, though the ring is actually English. French remained the language of the Court and Nobility for several centuries after the Norman Invasion in 1066.
Poesy (n): A short poem or sentiment decoratively inscribed on rings or jewelry, particularly in the Middle Ages – usually a romantic gift or token of friendship.
Tradition has it that words which touch the skin have a particular power. Poesy Rings were traditionally given in sterling silver as engagement rings, and then replaced with the same ring in gold upon marriage.
Everything New is Old Again
A short quote from the end of an article about the Seattle Monorail: “Like so many inventions, lack of financial backing prevented further development.” What’s interesting about this (at least to Seattleites…er, well, at least to me…) is that it’s talking not about the recent monorail debacle, nor the existing monorail built for the 1962 Worlds Fair, but the 1911 William H. Boyes Monorail.
This test track was built and demonstrated in 1911 in the tideflats of Seattle, Washington. The rails were made of wood and track cost was estimated to be around $3,000 per mile. A bargain! The Seattle Times commented at the time that “the time may come when these wooden monorail lines, like high fences, will go straggling across country, carrying their burden of cars that will develop a speed of about 20 miles per hour.” Like so many inventions, lack of financial backing prevented further development.
Neat!
(via Paleo-Future, quoted paragraph from Monorails in History)