Actually, it's more like Plane vs. The Car. The Bugatti Veyron is the fastest (255 mph), most powerful (1,001 horsepower), most expensive (over 1.5 million dollars) car ever made. And it's going up against a lousy Cessna turboprop! Not much of a race. Or is it? Either way, Jeremy is obsessed with that car.
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Check out this article from The Chicago Tribune. Pay particular attention to the part where Obama says that we can't rely on the military and need to create a "Civilian National Security Force" that is "just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."
Am I the only one who is very, very scared by this? Barack Obama, the man who wants to become Commander in Chief of our armed forces does not trust that they are capable of defending our nation, so he wants to create his own private paramilitary force to keep us safe.
What exactly is this force going to be tasked with doing? Who is going to lead it? How is it going to be equipped and/or trained? How are we going to pay for it? Most importantly, what, if any, oversight is the government and the military (the real military) going to have over it?
Civilian National Security Force. A government-controlled paramilitary force. Does this remind anyone else of the Brownshirts?
It's not about getting the day off from work.
It's not about a killer sale at some store.
It's not about an all-day movie marathon.
It's not about grilling burgers and hot dogs and drinking beer in the back yard.
It's not about concerts or fireworks.
It's about this:
It's about the great nation that this flag stands for. It's about the ideas and ideals that this flag represents. Most of all, it's about the men and women who have been willing to give their lives in defense of those ideas, those ideals, this flag, this country. Never forget that.
Happy Birthday, America. May God continue to shed His Grace on Thee.
I don't believe it, but I actually agree with Barack Obama on something.
Should we head for the bunker now, or wait until the mushroom clouds start appearing on the horizon? Meh, I'll just watch the pretty explosions. Like a fallout shelter would do that much good anyway.
I don't know why, but I've suddenly developed a craving for Queen. No, not royalty; the English rock band. We Will Rock You, Another One Bites the Dust, Princes of the Universe, now do you know who I'm talking about?
I recently found the single Queen album I have (bought it years ago just for We Will Rock You) and ripped a few tracks to my laptop. Unfortunately, the only two tracks on there that I actually know are We Will Rock You and I Want it All (listening to that one right now as a matter of fact). I never realized how good these guys are. I've got to pick up a few more albums.
Songs on my want list (As of now):
I have got to get me one of these!
Chip Foose = Lord and Grand Master of All Things Automotive!
And Jay Leno's a pretty cool guy too. Say what you will about his TV show, the man has great taste when it comes to cars. He's even got a website devoted to his (extensive) collection. Not that you can blame him or anything...
It's the classic Abbot & Costello sketch Who's on First... Shakespeareified.
I found this last year, believe it or not, but (obviously) never got around to posting it until know.
I apologize for the bad image quality at the end, but it's been like that ever since I found it.
Oh, and if you're not familiar with the sketch, here's the original version:
Watch This Video from CNN.
Long story short, David Olofson lent his twenty-year old AR-15, a semi-automatic rifle, to another man, who fired roughly 800 rounds (apparently without cleaning it) when the weapon malfunctioned, causing the weapon to fire a three-round burst before jamming. The guns owner's house was raided by the ATF (who didn't find any illegal weapons) and he was convicted of transferring an illegal machine gun.
Okay, this makes zero sense to me. The ATF acknowledges that the weapon malfunctioned, no illegal weapons were discovered in the guys house, he's an Army Reservist, husband, and father, with no criminal record to speak of, yet the government won't say why they chose to go after him.
What's even more disturbing is the precedent this ruling sets. The type of malfunction that happened, called a slam-fire, is not uncommon. It can happen a number of ways; the hammer or firing pin can fail to lock back after firing, the trigger sear can fail to re-engage, or the firing pin can simply stick in the extended position. It happens on all kinds of weapons, not just AR-15s, which by the way are notoriously unreliable if not kept absolutely clean. Some older semi-auto shotguns will slam-fire regularly. M1911-style pistols can slam-fire if they're not properly maintained. My friend has even had it happen several times on an old M1 Garand, a WWII-era rifle. Basically, what this means now is anyone who has a firearm malfunction and slam-fire can be tried and easily convicted of a major felony, thereby losing many of their basic freedoms (can't vote, can't serve in the armed forces or work for the government in any capacity, can't own guns, etc.)
Even the radically anti-gun CNN finds this disturbing. (Yes, Bill Tucker is pro-second amendment, but the CNN high-ups wouldn't let the story run if they didn't agree. Trust me on this; I've spent five years in journalism, I know how the system works.) I don't know why the government chose to pursue this ridiculous case, but I feel that it is gross misuse of power and a sham of justice, and that the presiding judge on this case should be disbarred and the victim's record should be immediately expunged.
UPDATE:
A federal judge just sentenced David Olofson to 30 months in jail. 30 months! All because his gun malfunctioned?!?!?! WTF? This is sick and wrong, people. Sick and wrong. Something needs to be done. That judge should immediately be disbarred, and Mr. Olofson should be pardoned and have his record expunged immediately if not sooner!
Anyone remember this reaction?
The guy got 30 months in jail because his gun malfunctioned!
To all those serving and who have served in our Armed Forces, thank you for defending our country and for keeping us, and the world, free from tyranny and oppression.
To those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to those who have willingly laid down their lives in defense of that freedom, thank you. Thank you for sacrificing your todays for our tomorrows. Thank you for giving up everything so that people you never knew and probably would never have met could live in a country that can truly be called free.
Freedom is not, has never been, nor shall it ever be, free. It is paid for by the blood and innocence of the men and women of our Armed Forces, by men and women who are willing to give up everything for the land that they love.
1,316,888 have paid that price so far.
Thank a Veteran.
O-kay... Barack Obama claims that he's visited 57 States, still has one more to go, but he can't visit Alaska or Hawaii.
Now, I've really tried to keep politics and political bashing out of my blog, but come on! This is sheer idiocy! And please don't tell me he misspoke. First, he had to stop and think about how many states he had visited. Second, if he had really misspoken , he should have been at least competent enough to immediately correct himself.
Regardless of my political views, I really don't think that we should elect someone to lead the country if they don't even know how many stars are on the Flag.
This video is of a test conducted by H&K for a new SOCOM requirement, pitting their new HK416 assault rifle against the Colt M4A1, which is standard-issue for the majority of our front-line soldiers.
The video's in German, but you really don't need to understand what they're saying to get the point. Pay particular attention to what happens 1:30 into the clip.
The Army Ordinace Department says that the M4A1 is the best, most reliable rifle in the world, and that there is no need to adopt a new weapon. After seeing what happened to the one in the video, I say that's bullcrap. How about you?
Yeah, I gave the blog a new name. Quite frankly, I was getting tired of *Insert Title Here* as the title, and truth be told, my original plan was to have *Insert Title Here* be a temporary title until I came up with something better. Only took me 20 months to get around to it...
By the way, does anyone know how to get the title centered?
I don't know why, but I've come up with a list of things I'd love to see happen in the cinema world, but probably never will.
Command told us that it would be an easy mission; patrol Sector 7 for any signs of Arkellian activity. Intel had reported zero movement in the sector for the last week. Apparently, a quartet of Medium Assault Drones qualifies as “zero movement” in their book. Out of a group of thirty resistance fighters, only Sammy and I got out alive. It was dumb luck, really; I was covering our rear and Sammy had come back to take over when we heard their 50mm rail guns open up. We both knew what was happening, that there was no hope, so we took off running. It was the only thing we could’ve done; either that or stay and be slaughtered along with the rest of the team.
We ran for about a kilometer before I spotted the cave. It isn’t overly large, it’s just a small hole in the side of a cliff, maybe six or seven feet tall and five or so feet deep, but at least we can hide from the drones in it. For a while, at least; everyone knows that it’s nearly impossible to escape an Arkellian Assault Drone.
I cautiously lean out of the cave and quickly sweep the surrounding terrain through my rifle’s scope. “I think we’re clear for now,” I tell Sammy. She nods as she checks the charge in her rifle’s pack. Sammy doesn’t say much when she’s in mission mode. “How long do you think we have?” I ask.
“Ten minutes, if we’re lucky,” she replies in an emotionless voice. That’s about what I figured, although the way today’s been going, I sincerely doubt we’ll be lucky at all. “How do you think they found us?”
“They’re Arkellians,” I say, shrugging, “Does it really matter?” Sammy nods again, her eyes growing hard.
“Twenty-eight killed,” she says to no one in particular, “And for what?”
“An Intel screw-up,” I reply bitterly, “I thought they said ‘zero activity in the sector.’ So much for their data.” If looks could kill, Sammy’s gaze would incinerate me.
“You think this is funny?” she demands, anger creeping into her voice, “You think this is all a joke?”
“No,” I reply, “I don’t think it’s funny in the least. And you know why they died.” She nods again.
“Because they were human,” she says, “Because they were ‘uncooperative.’” ‘Uncooperative’ is how the Arkellians describe the resistance fighters, the ones who stood up and fought back after their invasion and the government’s subsequent surrender.
“Do you think it will ever end?” I ask. I’m being metaphysical here; we both know that the resistance will end one way or the other.
“Definitely,” Sammy says with an affirmative nod, “We just have to stay ‘uncooperative’ for a little bit longer; we’ll see the end of the invasion one day soon, you’ll see.” I smile, suppressing a mirthless snort. That line’s been repeated countless times since the resistance began. ‘A little bit longer and it will all be over.’ I have to agree with that, though half the time I’m sure it will be the Arkellians that come out on top.
“Looks like we got lucky,” Sammy’s sudden remark interrupts my thoughts and I check my wrist chrono. We’ve been in the cave for exactly ten minutes and twenty-three seconds. Lucky indeed.
At that moment, blinding spotlight suddenly lances into the cave.
Did I just say something about luck?
“YOU ARE TRAPPED, HUMANS! COOPERATE OR DIE!” The electronically-modulated voice of an Arkellian thunders in our ears. Sammy and I look at each other as the order is repeated, our hands instinctively flying to our rifles.
“So much for seeing the end,” Sammy says, her voice mirroring my thoughts as I nod in agreement.
“I’m sorry,” I say, “I should have kept us moving.”
“It had to happen sometime,” Sammy says, shaking her head, “Better sooner than later, I guess.”
“HUMANS! COOPERATE AND YOUR LIVES WILL BE SPARED! RESIST AND YOU WILL SUFFER A MOST PAINFUL DEATH!”
I look over at Sammy, who responds to my gaze by yanking back the charging handle on her rifle. The weapon immediately powers back up with a slight electronic whine. “Are you feeling cooperative?” she asks after a moment. I grin and yank back my rifle’s charging handle.
“Never,” I say as I flip the weapon’s safety off.
“HUMANS! THIS IS YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY! COOPERATE OR YOU SHALL SUFFER!”
For a long moment, Sammy and I stare at each other. It feels like eternity as my mind fills with things I wished that I’d done, places I wished I’d gone, words I wished I’d said. Then, as one, we leap from the cave with weapons blazing, defiant battle cries roaring from our lips.
Click here to read.
Man is the UK screwed up! Sure, the give us Doctor Who and Aston Martins (now actually half-owned by Kuwatis), but banning hoodies ?!?! What the hey?!?
Check out this article. Apparently, there have been a spree of violent crimes in the UK, all of which were committed by people in hoodies, and now this newspaper wants the government to ban hoodies in response.
Honestly, this is so stupid and insane I'm not sure how to respond to it.
First off, the logic is extremely flawed; crimes are committed by people in hoodies, therefore everyone who wears a hoodie must be a criminal. I wear a hoodie when it's cold and wet out and the worst thing on my record is a traffic citation! And I wasn't wearing a hoodie when the accident happened, either.
Second, I wouldn't be surprised if this actually happens because the British governments owns a controlling stake in most of the UK's media outlets.
Third, well, I can't really think of a third. Probably because something like this would never fly Stateside. Any newspaper that called for a ban of any article of clothing whatsoever would likely be set upon by a giant pitchfork wielding mob (ah, the things that make this country great... jk) Okay, there probably wouldn't be a mob, but you know what I mean; public backlash would probably shut the place down.
Honestly, the UK is really screwed up. Most of their major cities have violent crime problems that make Washington DC, Chicago, and LA look like utopias, yet they brag about how their police don't need to carry guns. The government is bending over backwards to accommodate Muslim Extremists (Muslims only make up about 4-5% of the population in total, extremists even less), and the only sort of law they seem to be pass recently are increasingly ridiculous blanket-bans (I've heard a rumor, but have unable to confirm, that military veterans are no longer allowed to swim in public pools because they might frighten children). They need to get their head out of the gutter and start making serious changes, or else they're going to wind up as the West's first police state.
I DID IT!
I finally took the plunge and bought a real airsoft gun!
It's a replica of the M1911A1, the world-famous Colt .45. The best part is, since I just placed the order (1:45-ish), the gun should ship TODAY! Hopefully, I'll have it in my hot little hands by Thursday, just in time fore Easter break!
The only downside I can think of is that I had to order a duster gas adapter from another retailer (DOT won't let them even carry gas anymore. Stupid soccer-mom politics), and that might take a while longer to get here. Sigh...
Anyway, I'm almost jumping out of my skin in anticipation; I'll tell you how everything is once the gun gets here. (can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!)
UPDATE:
The gun shipped at around 2:15 same day! I officially love Trinity Airsoft!
While I love Star Wars with a passion, I must admit that at times Luke isn't the brightest lightsaber in the Temple, as evidenced here.
The end is kinda dumb, so quit out after the pic of Han in front of the bunker. Aside from that, enjoy.
Check out This Article on global warming.
Turns out that Al Gore might be wrong after all; there has been no net global warming in 10 years. And before anyone says anything, take a look at the links in the article and the charts on those links. Yep, net global temperature is down about 0.3 degrees Celsius since 1998! Yet for some reason the politicians claim that if we don't do something to stop it soon, we'll be doomed...
Yeah, this wasn't really big enough for it's own spot in the Reactions blog, so I just put it here.
And PLEASE check out The Raptors!
Okay, In Honor of the Oscars, I'm launching my own Movie Awards series, creatively titled The Raptors!
You can check out The Official Site for details and to nominate a movie for any or all of the categories.
Sunlight scorched the canyon floor as the Boss and the Judge met. Bitter rivals that they were, everyone around knew it wouldn’t be pretty. Words were exchanged; shoves were traded back and forth. Cooler heads managed to intervene before the situation could escalate further. After some debate, it was decided that the pair would settle their differences in the usual way.
Paint gleamed in the bright light as the crowd pushed the Boss and the Judge to the line. The Boss’s smile stretched ear to ear as he came to a stop. He had the horsepower to win this and he knew it. He reached over and slid the key into the ignition. A moment later, the loud rumble of his 429 echoed off the canyon walls.
The Judge’s lips didn’t form a smile, but rather a satisfied smirk. He knew that the Boss had the horsepower to win, but he had the torque and the gearing. Soon the echo of his Ram Air 455 joined the Boss’ 429 in thundering off the limestone. Oh, the Judge almost forgot; he also had his secret weapon. He had The Humbler. The Judge leaned down under the dash and pulled a small switch. Immediately, his rumbling changed to a deep, throaty growl. A few blips of the throttle, and the growl became a bellowing roar.
The Boss’ smile began to falter. No one had told him that the Judge had The Humbler. Now he was nervous. He knew what The Humber did for the Judge’s performance. A moment ago, he was sure he could win. Now, he wasn’t so sure. He glanced over at the Judge. The Judge didn’t look back; his eyes remained fixed down the asphalt ribbon ahead of them. The Boss turned away from the Judge and began revving is own engine. Twin roars shook the canyon walls; some of the onlookers winced and covered their ears.
A girl emerged from the crowd, her long brown hair whipping around in the heat-stirred wind. Stopping before the feuding pair, she unwrapped a scarf from around her neck and held it aloft. A hush fell over the crowd, broken almost instantly by the Boss’ bellow and the Judge’s roar. Wheels strained against their brakes, tach needles hovered just above their sweet spots. All eyes locked on the scarf. For a long moment it hung there, whipping back and forth over the girl’s head. Then she released it, and the canyon came alive with the scream of big-block V8s, and the Boss and the Judge raced off in a cloud of exhaust and burnt rubber.
...do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of The store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
...do people order Double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.
...do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
... do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
...do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
...do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: 'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.
...do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
You know, there are a lot of wackos out there. You know the type, the nutjobs who live in trailers and wear tinfoil hats, who claim that the government is brainwashing us through our cellphones and faked the moon landings and that they're hiding the UFO that crashed in Roswell inside Area 51.
I just got back from the dentist's office. Had to get two little cavities filled. Nothing I really could have done to prevent them; the doc says that they were way in the back (which was true) and that they were in spots that are darn near impossible to reach with a brush or floss anyway.
I could describe what I'm feeling right now, but I think that Bill Cosby can do it far better than I possibly could, particularly about what happens when they stick you with novocaine:
So I have to read King Lear for Western Civ, and I brought the book with me to the dentist's office. We wind up having a brief discussion about Shakespeare before he goes to stick me. Right when he goes to stick me with the mother of all needles, he says "Be nor afraid, I mean you no harm." To which I reply; "Yeah, right. It'd be a bit more convincing if you weren't holding that giant harpoon. Now I just have to wait for that mother of all needles to wear off, and I'll be able to feel my face again
Got a new profile pic. It's a black 1969 Mustang Fastback. Beautiful car. Too bad, they don't make 'em like that anymore.
Finished reading Shakespeare's Richard III for my Western Civilization class. A great piece of classical literature. However, in my opinion, the title needs a little work. One could actually substitute in the title of one of Queen's most famous songs. Another One Bites the Dust would work as this play's title perfectly.
Speaking of Queen, here's an interesting music video I found on YouTube:
That was random, I know.
This video is cool, too:
I know, I am very obsessed with Star Wars. And Hamlet. Incidentally, the very last clip from that trailer is from the soliloquy I had to memorize for Mr. Drake. On another topic, does anyone know the title of the song from that video.
Hmm... Can't really think of anything else to write right now. So, enjoy this lolcats picture:
Okay, never mind. Blogger isn't cooperating, so I can't upload the picture. You can check it out here.
Anyway, I leave you (for now) with another trailer by the guys that did the Star Wars/Hamlet thing.:
Again, a very happy new year to everyone. I hope everyone had a very pleasant holiday season.
Hopefully, this post will actually have a bit of substance to it. However, I apologize in advance if I start rambling.
I made a few minor revisions to my profile. I really wanted to get a different picture, but I couldn't find one I liked better than my '70 Eliminator. Man, it's really hard to find decent pictures of Atoll Blue 1970 Pontiac GTO Judges!
I have had this odd obsession with Hamlet as of late. It might have had something to do with the fact that I've been reading Shakespeare over break for the last couple of weeks, but none of those plays are Hamlet. I had to read Hamlet for school a few years back, even going so far as to have to memorize a soliloquy as part of an assignment for Mr. Drake.
That's from Act III Scene 3.
Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven;
And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd:
A villain kills my father; and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send
To heaven.
O, this is hire and salary, not revenge.
He took my father grossly, full of bread;
With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May;
And how his audit stands who knows save heaven?
But in our circumstance and course of thought,
'Tis heavy with him: and am I then revenged,
To take him in the purging of his soul,
When he is fit and season'd for his passage?
No!
Up, sword; and know thou a more horrid hent:
When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,
Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed;
At gaming, swearing, or about some act
That has no relish of salvation in't;
Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven,
And that his soul may be as damn'd and black
As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays:
This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.
Thanks to nerdjedi for sending me this pic.
007 ROCKS! Even if he is teaching high school physics...
Check it out here.
For some reason, my computer does not like CNN.com. Every time I log on, five to ten minutes later my system crashes. The strange part is, it only happens when I go to CNN.com. No other site, no other program. Wierd...
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Congress is finalizing a deal that would raise the fuel economy standards for most U.S. cars and trucks for the first time in more than 30 years.On the surface, this proposal seems like a great idea, it is (unfortunately) another result of the knuckleheads in Washington trying to fix something they don't understand.
But the bill also contains several significant loopholes that would allow auto companies to get around the new limits.
The centerpiece of the bill is a requirement that would raise the corporate average fuel economy standard, known as CAFE, from 27.5 miles per gallon for cars and 22.2 mpg for trucks to 35 mpg fleet-wide by 2020.The Senate passed the mandate in June, but the House has not yet voted. Congressional aides familiar with the negotiations said House leaders are hoping to work out final language this week and vote next week.
Large "work trucks" like the Dodge Ram, the Ford F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado would be exempt from the 35 mpg standard, according to sources involved in the negotiations.
Automakers will get credits to count against their fleet-wide average for selling "flex fuel" cars that are able to use alternative fuels or gasoline. Although U.S. manufacturers have built millions of flex fuel cars, ethanol is actually used in only about 1.5 percent of them, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. Most continue to run on gasoline, the group found. Ethanol is not widely available to car owners.
Despite these loopholes, backers of the bill say it brings a significant change that will benefit consumers. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the House Select Committee on Global Warming, said in an interview that the higher standard "will be a huge victory. It won't be something, however, that will stop us in the years ahead continuing to look at ways to continue upon that further."
House Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell, D-Michigan, who has been a key negotiator on the compromise bill and defender of auto industry interests, is pushing for some significant changes to the Senate version.
In an interview Wednesday with a Detroit television station, Dingell said he's supportive of the new standard, but stressed "we've got to do it in a way that doesn't destroy our industry or manufacturing."
Dingell would like to include a provision that would build in job protections for U.S. autoworkers, requiring U.S. auto companies to continue to manufacture a certain percentage of their vehicles in the United States.
Dingell also wants to create separate standards for car and truck fleets.
"We have to address the Senate bill to make sure we don't combine light trucks and automobiles in a way that will destroy them," he said.
According to a recent analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit environmental group, if the 35 mpg limit was implemented, it would translate into a savings for consumers of $25 billion at the pump in 2020.
The bill will also include a requirement to increase the production of biofuels like ethanol to 36 billion gallons by 2022. According to the Department of Energy, the United States produced 4 billion gallons of biofuels in 2005.
"Our goal is over the next 10 to 15 years [to] see a revolution that results in a dramatic increase in SUVs and automobiles that can use these new fuels and the number of Americans that can use them," Markey said, "so that we can back out more millions of barrels of oil that come from OPEC every day."
Congressional Republicans point out the proposal will do nothing to lower gas prices in the short term.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Remember not to overdo it on the turkey!
Have a safe and happy holiday.
Okay, I'm pretty sure it's been well-established that I am a huge Star Wars fan, to the point of wanting my own customized lightsaber. You probably remember the big fuss I made when I discovered Random Sabers, an outfit that would custom-make unique lightsaber hilts for its customers. Unfortunately, by the time I'd finally saved up enough money to make an order and had a design for a saber in my head, the company announced it had a massive backlog of orders and would not be taking new work orders for at least two years. Needless to say, I was crushed.
Recently, however, I happened upon a breath of fresh air, a light at the end of the dark tunnel, a glimpse of hope in the midst of my despair... okay, maybe I'm being a bit over-dramatic. The point is, within the last week I have discovered not one, but two websites that specialize in customizing lightsabers.
The first outfit, which I discovered by means of a Popular Mechanics magazine, is called Advanced-Light Weaponry. This site is run by a sculptor who specializes in high-end one-of-a-kind sci-fi props. He makes anything from simple stunt sabers to sabers that field-strip down to the "working" components to ultra-realistic sabers with LED-powered blades and working sound boards. Since every saber is ultimately designed by the customer, styles can range from generic Star Wars-style hilts to steampunk sabers to lightsabers that look almost organic. The site also offers custom-made sci-fi guns, some of which can include custom holsters as well. Probably the only downside to ALW is the steep prices; since each saber is hand-made out of high-quality materials, prices start at around $200 for a stunt saber; LED blades and sound boards jack the price up to over $500. Still, if you can afford it, the end product is well worth what you pay for. Also, since each saber is hand-made, construction can take several weeks, and that's before you factor in the long waiting list the guy has for other projects; which can tack another month or two onto the turnaround time. But again, given the amount of effort put into these sabers, they're well worth the wait.
The second site, appropriately named The Custom Saber Shop, bills itself as having "all your lightsaber building needs in one convenient spot." (Just listen to the theme song) While this site doesn't sell completed sabers, it does sell everything, and I mean everything, you need to custom-build your own lightsaber. The site has developed what it calls "The Modular Hilt System" where all of the major components (Hilt, center grips, pommel) easily screw together, making for easy upgrades and customization. In addition, the site sells all the electronic equipment necessary for adding LED or Electro-Luminescent (EL) blades and sounds to the saber, along with the tools required for some assembly aspects (drilling and tapping holes for set screws, for example). While this does make everything much cheaper than a saber custom-made by someone else, it does require a bit of electrical know-how in order to get everything working properly. Fortunately, the site does provide tutorials on hot to properly assemble all of the different electronics, as well as a Modular Starter Kit for an EL saber. Another downside is since all of the components are made of machined aluminum, this restricts the possible hilt styles to generic Star Wars-style hilts, so unless you're a skilled sculptor or you know someone who is, you won't get any steampunk or organic-looking hilts. Still, this is a great place for anyone who wants a saber on a budget.
Links to both Advanced-Light Weaponry and The Custom Saber Shop can be found in the "Links" section on the blog's sidebar. Check 'em out, especially if you want you're own custom saber (like me!)
Straight from CNN.com:
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Lindsay Lohan was a jailbird for just 84 minutes Thursday, becoming the latest celebrity to serve less than a day for a drunken driving offense.Lohan, 21, turned herself in to the Los Angeles County women's detention center in Lynwood at 10:30 a.m. She was searched, fingerprinted and placed in a holding cell in the inmate reception area but got to keep her street clothes, sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said.
"She was cooperative," he said.
Lohan was released at 11:54 a.m. Her original daylong sentence was reduced because she met criteria that took into account overcrowding at the lockup and the fact that her crime was nonviolent, Whitmore said.
Did the celebrity receive special treatment?
"Absolutely not. This is what we do for most everybody in this position," Whitmore said. In fact, 30 to 50 women are granted early releases from the facility every day, he added.
An e-mailed message seeking comment from Lohan's publicist was not immediately returned.
In May, the star of "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday" was arrested after crashing her Mercedes-Benz into a tree in Beverly Hills. She was arrested again in July after the mother of Lohan's former personal assistant called 911 to report that her car was being chased by an SUV. The chase ended in Santa Monica, where police arrested Lohan for being behind the wheel. In both cases, Lohan was found in possession of small amounts of cocaine.
In August, she reached a plea deal on misdemeanor drunken driving and cocaine charges stemming from the arrests. The judge sentenced her to four days in jail -- the mandatory minimum for a second drunken-driving offense -- but gave her credit for 24 hours already served. She elected to complete 10 days of community service instead of 48 hours behind bars.
The total deal called for her to enter treatment, spend a day in jail and perform community service.
"It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs," Lohan said in a statement released by her publicist in August.
Lohan had until January 18 to serve the jail time.
She spent two minutes longer in lockup than Nicole Richie did in August for a similar offense.
Richie was arrested December 11, 2006, after witnesses reported seeing her black Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle headed the wrong way on a freeway in Burbank. She pleaded guilty in July to a misdemeanor DUI charge in a deal with prosecutors that helped her avoid a potential year in jail because it was a second driving-under-the-influence conviction. She served 82 minutes in custody, during which she was booked but never actually placed in a cell.
Richie's co-star on TV's "The Simple Life," Paris Hilton, served 23 days at the same jail this year after she was found guilty of driving on a suspended license while on probation for an alcohol-related reckless-driving case.
To all those serving in our Armed Forces, thank you for defending our country, for keeping us, and the world, free from tyranny and oppression.
To all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to those who have given their lives in pursuit of freedom, thank you. Thank you for sacrificing your todays and tomorrows for us, people who you never knew, yet were willing to give up everything for. You are gone, but you and the sacrifice you made for us are not, nor will they ever be, forgotten.
Freedom is never free. It is paid for with the blood and innocence of our youth, and what a frightful cost that is.
Sorry I haven't posted in a while. College is crazy. I've been busy as heck for the last couple of weeks.
Anyway, I've got a new story brewing that I'll hopefully get posted up on the blog. It's kind of a fantasy story, only with 21st-century technology thrown in. When I find time (Thanksgiving? Hopefully sooner) I'll start posting it. Hopefully, this will evolve either into a mega-novel or (more realistically) a series, as I have three separate-yet-connected plot lines figured out.
BTW, new Mythbusters episodes are on Discovery Channel. Wednesday nights at 9:00 if you're interested.
The world's fastest car vs. the worlds most advanced jet fighter in a winner-take-all drag race. Cool.
I'm not gonna tell you how it ends, so you'll just have to watch for yourself. And if you think you've already figured out the winner, the Bugatti goes from a dead stop to 60mph in less than 2.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 254mph. The Eurofighter might be faster, but it takes longer to get up to speed. Plus, the Veyron is going horizontally, while the Typhoon's going straight up...
I don't even know where to begin with this.
Firstly, it's called the Nobel Peace Prize. Now you might call me an idiot, but will someone please explain to me what global warming has to do with furthering world peace?
Furthermore, the Nobel Peace Prize is supposed to be awarded those who have dedicated their lives to a particular cause and worked at it for decades. Al Gore has only spent four years promoting the dangers of global warming. By the way, his "crusade" started right after his political career took a nosedive. That's a little too coincidental (or convenient), don't you think?
What gets me even more is that the man is promoting bad science. Now I'm not saying that global warming isn't happening, and I'm not saying it's not a problem. But what I am saying is that Gore is making outrageous claims with little, and often times zero, evidence to back them up. Ask any scientist, any real scientist, and they'll tell you that the global warming "crisis" isn't a tenth as bad as Gore claims. The man has used false data and scare tactics to get our government to institute environmental policies. If you want an example of what happens to policies that our based on bad information, allow me to kindly direct your attention to Iraq.
Even worse, Gore is deluded enough into believing, and getting us to believe, that the United States alone can solve this so-called crisis. What he either fails to realize, or else just doesn't care about, is that the USA isn't alone in this problem. Brazil is cutting down the rainforests that absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Latin and South America still produce cars that run on leaded gasoline. China has no environmental protection laws whatsoever. Even if the environmental crisis was as bad as Gore has made it out to be, the US acting alone wouldn't solve anything. Furthermore, mankind alone is not responsible for this climate change; Greenland is a frozen glacier now, but when the Norse colonized it 1000 years ago it was warm enough to farm on.
I don't like Gore. You've probably figured that out by now. It's not because of his political ideologies, although it's true that he's far-left Democrat and I'm a moderate Republican. What I cannot stand about the man is that he is a liar and a hypocrite. Plain and simple. He claims to have invented the Internet in 1991; the Internet is an evolution from various systems developed by the military since the 1960s and entered its current form in the early 1980s. He denounces the automotive industry and says that everyone should be "carbon neutral," walking, biking, and driving hybrids everywhere, while he himself uses far more energy than the average American is chauffeured around in an armored limousine and a private jet, both of which make him far more carbon negative that the majority of Americans. Leaders should lead by example, something which Al Gore has proven himself unwilling to do. "Do as I say, not as I do," may fly with some, but not with me. If Gore ever wants my respect, he should start actually listening to the speeches he's making about the environment and live life according the rules he sets for others. Until the, to paraphrase Charleton Heston, he can have my Mustang when he pries the steering wheel from my cold, dead fingers.
The fact that the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to a man such as Al Gore is sickening. This so-called award wasn't about peace, it was about politics. There were candidates who were far more deserving of this award, candidates who had worked for causes that would further actual peace. Instead, bad science, political rhetoric, and scare tactics came out ahead. Alfred Nobel must be rolling in his grave at this insult to his legacy. And I can't blame him; I used to think that the Nobel Peace Prize stood for something important. Looks like I was wrong.
Anyone remember, my old movie review blog? If you don't, don't worry about it. It's been a very long time...
Anyway, I've updated it at long last. The lucky winner this time is, what else, Star Wars.
Since I don't think I'll be very busy this week, I plan on adding a few more reviews to the blog, specifically Red Dawn and The Adventures of Robin Hood, along with the video game Heatseeker. There might be a few more (and definitely one that no one will expect!) so check back soon to see.
Quasimodo's got something against me. Not sure what, exactly, or why, but Jeff says he does, so I guess I gotta believe him. Don't think this will become a habit or anything like that.
I'm kinda psyched because the paintball club (yes, we have a paintball club at my college) is going skirmishing this weekend. This'll be the first time I've gone skirmishing in about a year and a half, and the very first time I've gone outdoors. Since this'll be outside in the woods, hopefully I'll do better than I did last time. Take it from me, US Marine Corps small-arms close-quarter-combat tactics, when applied to speedball, are good for one thing and one thing only; getting your team quickly and utterly slaughtered. They do work outdoors, however, so I'm betting that I'll do a decent job this time (i.e. at least get a kill). I'll let you know how that goes.
I'm setting up a new blog. Yes, you think, what else is new. But this blog really is different.
I've done my best to remain apolitical on this blog. With the exception of one or two semi-heated debates on gun control, I've succeeded. But there are some things that I just can't remain silent about. Not anymore. But at the same time, I did not want to ruin the character of this blog by turning it into a political battlefield. So, and yes I'm a moron for not doing this sooner, I've decided to set up a separate blog which is dedicated to my views on both politics and current events.
The new blog is called Raptor's Reactions and can be found here.
Fresh from the Associated Press:
NEW YORK (AP) -- Dan Rather filed a $70 million lawsuit Wednesday against CBS, alleging that the network made him a "scapegoat" for a discredited story about President Bush's National Guard service.Come on, Dan! You violated Rule Number One of journalism; always double check your sources. You didn't check. That's a firing offense no matter where you are on the journalism food chain. You screwed up big time, you paid the price. End of story. Let it go.
The 75-year-old Rather, whose final months were clouded by controversy over the report, says the complaint stems from "CBS' intentional mishandling" of the aftermath of the story.
The lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan, also names CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves, Viacom Inc. Chairman Sumner Redstone, and former CBS News President Andrew Heyward.
Rather is seeking $20 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages.
CBS spokesman Dana McClintock said: "These complains are old news, and this lawsuit is without merit."
Ok, this this just a random blurb from a story idea that struck me tonight (literally 45 minutes ago, probably less). Let me know what you think:
<><><><><><><>
The first surprise came when the door to the cottage opened. They had been expecting a peasant girl; the two figures walked into the darkened structure were too tall and muscular to be female. No matter; they’d take the unexpected visitors prisoner regardless.
The second surprise came when they leapt out from the shadows onto their two unsuspecting victims. They expected the capture to be quick and effortless, but instead of quickly succumbing to the ambush, their preys' bodies seemingly disappeared is a blur of motion. The attackers found the tables suddenly turned against them as their “victims” began to lash out violently at them. Bones snapped and joints crunched as a flurry of fists, feet, elbows, and knees sent the attackers flying from the epicenter of the brawl. Some lay where they fell, some unconscious, a few dead, but those who retained their lives and senses dove back into the fight, more terrified of their mistress’ anger at their failure than of the sure slaughter they faced.
In the room’s far corner, the attackers’ mistress stood silently, her eyes wide in shock and horror. No, this could not be happening! She had planned for every contingency! But not this one. She had speculated that these two men might spring her trap and determined that her minions would easily defeat them. But she had reasoned that a prince and his teacher would spring her trap; the two men who were sweeping her minions aside like dust were warriors that had been training for a situation such as this for their entire lives. Master and apprentice, between them they had over fifty years of practice in this most brutal and effective martial art. Alone, they were formidable. Together, they were unstoppable.
At that moment, Gavin found his boot knives, tossed one of the blades to Phillip, and the slaughter became a bloodbath.
At long last, I've determined exactly what I need to make the perfect Jedi Knight costume:
Well, sort of.
I haven't posted recently for a couple of reasons:
So, yeah, I was sitting on my sofa this afternoon, reading a book, when I hear a helicopter flying over the house. No big; planes and news choppers fly over us all the time. So then my mom, who's out on the back deck yells that I should come outside and see this. So I run outside just in time to see a CH-53E Super Stallion fly over our house. Mom goes back inside, but I think I hear another one, so being the military aviation nut that I am, I stay outside on the deck. Sure enough, about fifteen seconds later, another Super Stallion flies right over me. Cool, yes?
Okay, I know you're all thinking 'Why should I care?' Well, it's a very warm and sunny day today, our deck is made out of a composite plastic-wood material (please don't ask; I don't know) that does a swell job of retaining heat, and everything happened so fast that I ran out onto said deck with bare feet, where I stood in the hot sun for a good minute while the helicopters flew overhead. So to make a long story short, I toasted the bottoms of my feet. Ouch! Think I burned 'em, but it's not so bad now. Still kinda hurts to walk, though...
You don't care, do you?
Oh, yeah. Check out my new poll -->
That's what my blog's become; a complete and total failure.
My last two polls have, between them, garnered exactly one vote (not counting mine: I voted on the second poll just so it wouldn't go vote-less), the only one who leaves comments is my brother, bottom line, no one cares.
*cha-chock*
*BOOM!*
That was the sound of my blog attempting to blow its brains out with a 12-Gauge. Fortunately, nor maybe not-so-much, it's a very lousy shot, not having hands and all. But who knows, next time it might get lucky...
I leave you with this random videos, courtesy of The Muppets.
I decided to submit a random comment to ThinkGeek:
Darth Maul Double Bladed Lightsaber: $180
USB Laser-Guided Missile Launcher: $50
Megazooka: $25
Sonic Grenades: $13 each
Maverick Dart Guns: $26 for two
Metal Desk Catapult: $35
Airsoft Submachine Gun: $20
R/C Shooting Battle Tank: $40
The look on that annoying co-worker's face when he realized he's about to get seriously pwned: Priceless
There are some things money can't buy. For total workplace domination, there's ThinkGeek.
-Jedi_Raptor07
Look for it and let me know what you think.
Wow. One whole week and not one vote on my poll. That's disheartening.
So, with my customary stubbornness, I'm going to try again, and this time it's going to be simpler: Who's cooler, Ninjas or Pirates?
Wait, too simple. Howzabout this: Captain Kirk vs. Captain Solo?
Or I could go back to my original one, Who'd be a better Robin Hood?
But that didn't get any votes. How about; Who'd Make a Better David Pierce?
Forget it, I pulled those stories down and I doubt you'd remember the character enough to make educated votes.
You know what? It's all theoretical anyway right now: the Blogger Polls are down.
*double-checks*
Never mind, they're up.
So, yeah, after all that, I'm stickin' with Ninjas vs. Pirates. Though once my job end next week (hallelujah!) and the David Pierce stories come back up, I think I'll put the Casting David Pierce poll up.
So yeah, that's it for now. Check out this great pic from I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER?:
Kudos to nerdjedi for findin' it for me.
Okay, More Than a Job and Codename: White Knight are temporarily unavailable. No, I haven't taken them down, they're just hidden for the time being. I know, I promised that I'd leave them up, but some things have come up.
Firstly, I've had another attack of the paranoia and don't want anybody stealing my idea. But I've restrained myself; like I said, they're not removed, just hidden away.
Second, and more importantly, my job is really taking a lot out of me. I know, it sounds like a lame excuse, but believe me, now I know why it's called the corporate grind. I can't go into details since I signed a confidentiality agreement when I started, but suffice to say that we have a major product release on our hands, so things are really crazy right now, and the fact that this is the biggest four weeks for vacation of the year isn't helping.
Third, I still don't have MS Office on my computer, so I can't really edit Chapters 3 and 4 without them. Hopefully this will resolve itself in a week or so.
Lastly, I've got a couple new ideas floating around in my head that I've been toying with, and that's also been taking time away from White Knight. Those I'll post, 'cause I really don't care if someone copies them.
I know I promised to keep MTaJ and White Knight up for good, and I'm very sorry for breaking that promise. Hopefully my situation will resolve itself quickly and I'll be able to work on White Knight consistently, in which case I'll put the stories back up.
Also, I've got a new poll up on the sidebar. Check it out, and be sure to vote!
Anyone remember my movie review blog from a while back? No? No one? Well, that's okay, I forgive you. However, your faulty memories are no longer significant, because it is back and up and running! It's called Raptor's Reviews, and you can find it over in the "Links" section on the sidebar. Currently there are only two reviews posted, but more will follow soon!
However, that pales in significance to what I'm about to tell you next:
*insert drum roll here*
CODENAME: WHITE KNIGHT IS UP AGAIN!!!!!!!!
I only have Chapters 1 and 2 up right now as I am in the process of revising Chapter 3 and completely rewriting Chapter 4. But fear not, for they shall be posted soon, on that I give you my word of honor.
Okay, enough chit-chat. Check out the new additions and PLEASE let me know what you think!
Oh, and don't forget my previous posts.
Meet the 2007 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster:
150th post.
Cool.
Still no Word, which means still no stories. Curse you, Bill Gates! CURSE YOU!!!!!!
Okay, now that that's out of my system...
nerdjedi showed me a link to this really funny website, I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER?
There's really no way to describe or explain the site; you just have to check it out for yourself.
Good news! My computer woes are finally over! I've purchased a brand-new HP Pavilion Notebook computer. No longer am I dependent on an out-of-date hand-me-down or be forced to share a Dell that has an affinity for frying hard drives! At last, all is right with the word!
Well, almost all is right.
My computer didn't come with Office. That means I don't have MS Word, which means I can't keep writing my stories or upload what I have to Blogger. Now I have to pay $100-plus (probably more like $200) to get software that any computer should come with in the first place. I hate Microsoft.
And now, on a different note...
I was browsing around YouTube today and came across a bunch of old WWII-era Superman cartoons. These were shown in movie theaters before the feature presentation along with the newsreels. A few years back, Nickelodeon aired these during their Nicktoons Show along with Bugs Bunny and that gang. I used to go over to my grandmother's house every Saturday afternoon to watch (she had cable, we didn't) and hope against hope that they'd show a Superman cartoon.
This one is one of my favorites. It's called Billion Dollar Limited.
I do have one question, though. How is it that we have sophisticated computer animation that can do anything and everything, but this 60+ year-old cartoon looks worlds better than anything that's been made recently?
This is a commercial for Xbox 360 Live that was banned for reasons I cannot discern:
I know it's very "violent," but really, there's zero blood and no one really dies. What the censors found objectionable to this, even after multiple viewings, still eludes me.
I still haven't gotten a new computer, but this will change soon; Micro Center is having major sales this month.
Also, Chapters 3 and 4 of Codename: White Knight have been lost, probably for good, so when I get a new computer, I'll have to rewrite them. If anyone remembers the beginning of Chapter 3, it's most likely going to be changed.
Okay, I'm making this quick: I'm having some major computer issues at the moment and cannot access Codename: White Knight, so it will be a while before I begin posting it. Sorry for the unexpected delay.
*sigh*
I have got to get myself a computer! It's even trumped my airsoft MP5 for top priority!
