A Day At The Ballgame

Odd how things line up sometimes. Infrequent poster Zymurgian needed a ride to the airport this evening, which I reluctantly agreed to provide. I have absolutely no enthusiasm for driving to Phoenix in July, but I'm willing to make a sacrifice to help a friend.
Then I got offered two tickets to today's Diamondbacks-Cubs game. Suddenly, the trip became much more appealing. So Zymurgian and I are off to enjoy a nice afternoon of baseball before I drop him at the airport.

Happy Independence Day

Celebrating 234 years this Fourth of July. Throw some animal parts on a grill, consume large quantities of beer, and once you've got a proper buzz, blow up some shit.
Well, not me. No fireworks here on our mountain (scroll down to prior posts if you have any doubts as to why) as the fire danger is way too high. Which is a bit sad, as I love to blow things up. I made my own fireworks when I lived in Washington and California, mortars that rivaled professional stadium pyrotechnics. But only an idiot would unleash even a minor spark around here.
I do intend to grill some animal parts with my neighbor/friend, but we try to do that most every Sunday, so it's not a truly celebratory grilling. And there will be beer.
Have fun, y'all!


And here's the Declaration of Independence read aloud on NPR's "Morning Edition."

Cartoon Boobies

This would make a very nice t-shirt for several women I know. Happy Friday!

The Noise of the Vuvuzela

I hate the Vuvuzela, but I do support using 100 (or more) Vuvuzela players to serenade BP headquarters with vuvuzela concerts until the Gulf is cleaned up.
It wont change a damn thing, but at least the worlds most annoying things will be at the worlds most annoying company.

Some Links:

Vuvuzela symphony planned at BP headquarters - Boing Boing

Vuvuzela symphony planned at BP headquarters // Current

Now For the Jetpacks

Those of us of a 'certain age' can recall the fantastic future technologies that we were promised as children. Well, behold, the flying car is finally here:

A highway-worthy airplane moves one step closer to production with a recent weight exemption approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Transition Roadable Aircraft, developed by Massachusetts-based engineering firm Terrafugia, will be allowed a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds, the same allowance made for aircraft designed to operate on water.

Going from plane to car "takes about the same amount of time as putting down your convertible top," and the transition takes place from inside the cockpit. After landing, a cockpit-operated system folds up the wings, and the pilot can drive away.

Transition is designed for trips of up to about 450 miles and can travel about 100 miles per hour in the air and "highway speeds" on the ground of "65, 70, [miles per hour] -- something like that," Dietrich said.

"We're really not pushing the performance as an automobile because it is really designed to be used as an airplane that has this additional capability," she said.

"Functionally, it's a lot closer to an airplane than it would be to your car."

The price is more in line with aircraft as well; Terrafugia anticipates the Transition will cost $194,000. The first delivery will occur in about 18 months, Dietrich said.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/06/30/transition.flying.car/index.html

Actually, technology has done pretty well compared to science fiction. Just compare the Star Trek communicator to your current phone.

But I still want jetpacks, dammit!