The Blag Switch

Okay, a few things.  1.) I would have been blogging more in this space but I’ve been slammed with work of various kinds.  Also, I recently discovered the hilarity that is Zero Punctuation, which is a weekly video game review.  It’s hilarious to the point that I’m pretty sure I enjoyed the four minute review of some games more than I enjoyed the game itself.  Case in point.

2.) If any rich admirers out there are wondering what to get me for Christmas, I’d like one of these in .300 Win Mag or this ludicrously nice amp or a copy of the Secret Museum of Mankind if you can find one.

3.) Well, my Washington State ballot arrived a couple of days ago.  (WA ballots are all mail-in.)  Which means I finally have to figure out who I’m voting for for President.  I still haven’t ruled out writing in one of the Roosevelts.

My mom, who among many other things runs the blog 46 Degrees North, has been asking me to try and drum up some folk who might be interested in talking politics over there in the comments.  She’s got some great posts up, but doesn’t have enough eyeballs to get a really interesting discussion going.  So if any of you are at all politically inclined, you should head over there and put in your $.02.

Courtest of Cyanide & Happiness and Overcompensating.  (Click on the comics to embiggen.)

If you ever want to get new readers to your blog, make a mistake.  The Internet Correction Principle states that someone will be along shortly to correct you. And likely insult you, your mother, or both.

I’ve been meaning to blog this for awhile: a great-good friend of mine from way back (well, freshman year of undergrad) has a new blog.  She’s crazy-smart and basically taught me everything I know about Africa, poverty, and a slew of other topics.  Plus she’s just generally awesome.  So you should go give her a read.  She’s doing fieldwork in Madagascar and, knowing her, there is no way that could turn out to be anything other than fascinating.

I was just talking on the phone to my *ahem* venerable Aunt.  (She’s my dad’s older sister and my dad is, well, not-young.)  There’s something vaguely surreal about hearing an octogenarian utter the phrase “well dear, it’s been nice talking to you, but my cell phone is almost out of minutes, so I should go.”

Off camping with some friends, so no posts this weekend. Back probably late-ish Sunday.

Have a great weekend, all.

Now, I don’t mean to belittle a man’s death, but does Tim Russert’s really warrant this much media attention, or is this just the press feting one of their own and assuming that the public cares as much as they do? I mean, I’m sure Mr. Russert was a fine, upstanding man. He was probably a good husband (if he was married), a good father (if he had any kids) and etc. But is his death news other than in passing? Do we really need articles dissecting “What Happened to Russert?“? (Hint: He passed away tragically from a sudden cardiac arrest. There, I answered in one short sentence what the Newsweek article mumbles on about for a full page.)

His death was, no doubt, a tragedy to his friends, family, and coworkers. And maybe this makes me a cold-hearted son-of-a-bitch, but I’m having a really hard time understanding why the rest of us should care enough for it to warrant round-the-clock news coverage.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Russert, but forgive me if I don’t lower my flag to half mast for you.

Just a heads up that there’s a couple hundred new photos (of varying quality: I uploaded them all sans discrimination and will sort through them when I get a chance) up on my Flickr page.  Topics covered include a trip to the range with my inimitable friend Meagan, Sasquatch! Festival 2008, and a day out on my brother Brian’s new boat.

You’re stuck on the ISS, falling around the Earth in cramped quarters with assorted colleagues and the toilet, the ONLY toilet for at least 211(+/- 2.4) miles, is broken.

(Via Tam)