Remember When Clinton Balanced The Budget?

Here's a factoid I read today: If you were to take our national debt (which just surpassed $9 trillion) and spent that entire amount on gold at its current worth, you would be able to construct 28 Eiffel Towers out of pure gold.

He's No David Palmer

This should come as little surprise to those of us who actually pay attention...

(thanks to Brent for the link)

Blinding Patriotism

I found myself behind this pickup truck on my way to the grocery store this afternoon and thought it was so freaking ridiculous that I had to take a picture. My camera phone doesn't really do justice to just how outrageous this thing was.

An Open Question To All

When did Wynonna Judd get so fat? Did she devour her mom?

Black Gold

As gas prices threaten to surmount $3.00/gallon in most places around the country this summer, you'll be pleased to hear that Lee Raymond, the former Exxon chairman, has been given a modest $400 million retirement package. This includes pension, stock options and other perks, such as a $1 million consulting deal, two years of home security, personal security, a car and driver, and use of a corporate jet for professional purposes. Last November, when he was still chairman of Exxon, Raymond told Congress that gas prices were high because of global supply and demand.
"We're all in this together, everywhere in the world," he testified.

It's worth mentioning here that Exxon made $36 billion last year- the largest annual profit made by anyone, ever. I'm curious as to how an oil company posts the biggest profit in history during a supposed energy crisis.

(statistics courtesy of ABC News)

What Would Linus Do?

Another Easter, another no-show by Zombie Jesus. Ah well, there's always next year, right? At least we get ham and chocolate out of the deal. Oh, and Starburst Jellybeans. Those delicious little devils trump any water-into-wine parlour trick.

Knowledge Is Power!

Recently, several science gurus -- Nobel Prize winners, institute heads, teachers and others who spend most of their time thinking about science -- were asked, "What is one science question every high school graduate should be able to answer?"

Take their quiz and see how you do. You can find the answers in the comments section.

1. What percentage of the Earth is covered by water?
2. What sorts of signals does the brain use to communicate sensations, thoughts and actions?
3. Did dinosaurs and humans ever exist at the same time?
4. What is Darwin's theory of the origin of species?
5. Why does a year consist of 365 days, and a day of 24 hours?
6. Why is the sky blue?
7. What causes a rainbow?
8. What is it that makes diseases caused by viruses and bacteria hard to treat?
9. How old are the oldest fossils on earth?
10. Why do we put salt on sidewalks when it snows?

Extra credit: What makes the seasons change?

(information from startribune.com)

0wned!

A couple of nerds choreographed a lightsaber duel that easily tops anything Lucas put together for his films. It really is very impressive.

Click on the cheesy Star Wars cake to view the clip...

All Your Base Are Belong To Us

The Armchair Empire has compiled a list of what they think are the best in-game quotes of all time. Some of them I remember fondly (Shenmue, you were progressive in so many ways) and some I'm discovering for the first time (I regret missing out on this "tide of naughtiness" in Balder's Gate II.)

Click on Ryo Hazuki for the list...

One By One The Pod People Fall

Some evidence as to why I don't own any Apple products:

Failing The Bar

(thanks to Brent for the link)

Where Credit Is Due

The University of Georgia's college of Journalism and Mass Communication has annonced the winners of the 65th annual Peabody Awards, one of the most prestigious awards for excellence in electronic media.

Among this year's winners are the caustic cartoon show "South Park", BBC's adaption of Charles Dickens' "Bleak House", Martin Scorsese's biopic of Bob Dylan, "No Direction Home", while Sci-Fi Channel scored their first ever win with Ronald D. Moore's remake of "Battlestar Galactica".

South Park COMEDY CENTRAL
Primitive animation is part of the charm of TV's boldest, most politically incorrect satirical series. Its simple style also makes possible the show's unmatched topicality. Comedy Central.

Battlestar Galactica SCI FI CHANNEL
A belated, brilliantly re-imagined revival of a so-so 1970s outer-space saga, the series about imperiled survivors of a besieged planet has revitalized sci-fi television with its parallax considerations of politics, religion, sex, even what it means to be "human." NBC Universal Television Studio.

(from bitsofnews.com)

Blogger's Note: It's refreshing to see an award based on deserving talent rather than overblown popularity. Past winners include The Daily Show, Band Of Brothers, The West Wing, The Sopranos, Wallace & Gromit, Frasier and The X-Files.

A Wednesday Observation

Why is it whenever I'm trying to be quick at the grocery store there's always a lady in front of me at the express lane buying cigarettes with a personal check?

You Call This Archeology?

Which Indiana Jones Flick Is Your Favorite?
	Raiders Of The Lost Ark
	Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom
	Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
Free polls from Pollhost.com