Posted on February 13th, 2009%
The Zombie Survival Guide
by Max Brooks
For a guy who spends most of his days commuting reading things like The Economist and Scientific American, it felt somewhat strange pulling out a book whose subtitle is Complete protection from the living dead. Yet here I was, reading just that book, on a recommendation by an old friend, Mr. Vikar (who knows a good book when he reads one)… and enjoying every minute of it.
The Zombie Survival Guide is the work of Max Brooks, son of comedian/writer/director Mel Brooks (the brains behind of one of my all-time favorite movies, Blazing Saddles). In it, the author takes us on a journey that describes, as only a self-help survival guide can, how to survive a zombie invasion.
Everything zombie-related is covered, including their physiology (they’re dead) and psychology (none); their source (a virus, Solanum); and, of course, an in-depth education on how to identify them, kill them, and . . .
→ Read More: Book Review: The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
Posted on February 5th, 2009%
The appointment of Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State, and the subsequent appointment of (former Representative) Kirsten Gillibrand to replace her, has left a void in Congress. A special election is pending – and, if you’re among those eligible to vote in it, you should vote for Eric Sundwall to fill that void.
In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve never met Mr. Sundwall, nor do I pretend to know him personally. I do know him as the Chairman for the Libertarian Party of New York, and I do support him for the following reasons.
He’s an IT guy. Many readers of my blog are IT people, and as we all know, IT people are typically smart, pragmatic, and results-driven. No doubt Sundwall shares those characteristics.
He’s a small-government guy. Sundwall recognizes the danger in deficit spending (which simply puts the burden of payment to our children), and no doubt would be strongly against the $800-billion (so-called) bailout.
He recognizes the limitations of . . .
→ Read More: Support Eric Sundwall for Congress
Posted on January 16th, 2009%
Via Slashdot:
Amenacier writes:
“Recent studies by Finnish and Swedish researchers have shown that drinking moderate amounts of coffee can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people. The reason for this is as yet unknown, although it has been hypothesized that the high levels of antioxidants found in coffee may play a role in preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s. Alternatively, some studies have shown that coffee can protect nerves, which may help prevent Alzheimer’s. Other studies have shown that coffee may also help to protect against diabetes, another disease which has been shown to have links to Alzheimer’s disease. However, researchers warn against drinking too much coffee, as 3 cups or more may cause hallucinations.”
Mixed blessing for me. I’m a more-than-three-cups-per-day coffee drinker (less on weekends), which means I’m getting all the Alzheimer’s and diabetes protection, with the occasional hallucination.
Oddly, I don’t recall ever hallucinating, unless… this entire experience… of reality… is not real……
. . .
→ Read More: I won’t get Alzheimer’s or diabetes (but I will have hallucinations)
Posted on January 15th, 2009%
I’ve used a Palm Treo 650 for about 2 1/2 years, and it’s served me well (especially when teamed up with ChatterEmail). That being said, my Verizon Wireless contract is up for renewal, which means I can get a severely discounted new phone… or I can switch to a new provider.
I was going to stick with the Treo until the announcement of the upcoming Palm Pre. I’m no iPhone junkie or gadget-hound, but I’m a fan of Palm, so this new device certainly caught my eye and created a small amount of drooling.
No surprise that the Pre will initially be available to a service provider other than Verizon Wireless – that service provider being Sprint. I’ve never used Sprint, but their rates seem much more competitive than Verizon, and they do have the phone I’m yearning for.
Does anyone have experience with Sprint, especially in . . .
→ Read More: Anyone using Sprint mobile phone service?
Posted on January 13th, 2009%
It’s hard to believe that, not so long ago, blacks were forbidden from playing Major League Baseball. For a person like myself, born in 1970 and never experiencing the true meaning of segregation, it’s hard to comprehend. Alas, it’s true. One can be disappointed by this tarnished past, or be proud of how we, as a people, have overcome it.
Regardless, being excluded from “professional” baseball didn’t stop many from playing professional baseball, thanks to the Negro Leagues. Without such a league, we’d never have the opportunity to know some of the most talented athletes and colorful sports personalities to ever play the game.
The Negro Leagues brought to fame folks such as Andrew “Rube” Foster (a great pitcher and the founder of the Negro League), Satchel Paige (one of the best pitchers of all time), Josh Gibson (a power-hitting catcher)… and Prince Joe Henry.
He wore shorts as part of his uniform, his hat bill turned around crooked and was animated at the plate.ref
Prince Joe has a special place for me and some friends, for a very special reason. A few years back, RedHawk (a player of my online baseball game, CSFBL) started a new league in our game: Negro League Tribute. After starting the league, RedHawk and TFM_Dale (another community member) got in touch with Negro League legend Prince Joe. . . . → Read More: Heaven has one hell of a baseball team
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