Yes, we are up to something

And a few germs aren't going to make our giant tripod war machines break down, neither.

Almost Too Fair

And now, for this word on net neutrality, from The Daily Show.

It's hot outside - let's stay in and watch movies

If i only could. Today would be a perfect day for big glasses of rum and lime over ice and the Marx Brothers.

Stack o books for the beech

On Friday we head off for our yearly vacation on Cape Hatteras and I have my stack of books ready to go. This year's includes:

• Straight Man by Richard Russo
  
• Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
  
• Queen of the South by Arturo Perez-Reverte
  
• The Gilded Age by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner
  

Unfortunately, I will not be able to include my yearly James Lee Burke fix. For the first time in years, he's late (although only by a week). Ah, well. We'll have to catch Pegasus Descending the following week or so.

Avast there, Matey!

Sitting here in my home office, if I turn to my left I see a shelf full of books on this list. When did I become a fan of sea books?

Well, O'Brian cinched it, but I've always been nuts over a great tale - and the ones on this list certainly are crackerjack ones!

Bookmarks Magazine: 101 Crackerjack Sea Books

Sea-low-can-th

And they're mighty tasty, too!

OK, I haven't actually eaten coelacanth and have no intention to, but I can bet that may people looking at this video are thinking, "I wonder what it tastes like?"

For the record

Might I say, for the record, that I prefer not to hear or read any more about Star Jones, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (or their kids), Brittney Spears, Madonna (going on 25 years of hearing too much about her), global warming nay-sayers, defense of marriage-gay basing-bigots, anti-flag burning jingoists, Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, what movie star is dating what other movie star, the latest powder keg in the middle east, but-but-but Clinton! Republican apologists, stay-the-course-damn-the-torpedoes-full-speed-ahead-things-are-much-better-than-the-liberal-media-is-telling-you-in-Iraq-head-in-the-sand-my-country-right-or-wrong red staters.

I prefer to have a pleasant, uninterrupted by the national tragedy of the moment, summer vacation. I'm assembling my stack of books and will soon head for sun and sand and cold Coronas.

Try not and blow up the planet while I'm gone.

Captain Randy Falls In Love With YouTube

Let it never be said that Al Gore doesn't know funny.

Captain Randy Discovers Wufoo

A moment of joy, shared.

Here's something that I found a breath of fresh air. A joyful, awe inspiring 3 minutes, 42 seconds. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Apparently no good Samaritans on Everest

This is utterly depressing:Hillary Blasts Climbers Who Left Dying Man

"Mount Everest pioneer Sir Edmund Hillary said Wednesday he was shocked that dozens of climbers left a British mountaineer to die during their own attempts on the world's tallest peak.

David Sharp, 34, died apparently of oxygen deficiency while descending from the summit during a solo climb last week.

More than 40 climbers are thought to have seen him as he lay dying, and almost all continued to the summit without offering assistance."

The book "Into Thin Air" put me into a full out funk for days. And now this. How many people passed him going up to the summit and then again on the way back down?

Some days I think we're all evil idiots.

everest

This Month's Help for the Clueless: Dell

Isn't it surprising and interesting that when apparently successful companies run off the end of the cliff they start grasping at straws?

Take a look at this: Mac News: Apple News : Dell Eyes Retail Again, With Apple Stores as Model: "Struggling to maintain its lead as the top personal PC maker, Dell plans to once again enter in the retail business when it launches two stores at shopping centers later this year. In contradistinction to Apple, which stocks products on-hand for customers to carry out after purchase, Dell will maintain its direct model by having shoppers place orders online for later pick-up at the store."

So, Dell sees Apple becoming wildly successful at their retail strategy. They failed at their own approach - mall kiosks where you could see a couple of computers, but had to order and wait for the computer to be delivered. So, if that didn't work, what should they do? Scale up, of course!

No, that's not right. Apple is succeeding because they have a very specific vision. First, they carefully scout locations and pick and pay for prime retail spots. Next, they went to retail experts from places like the Gap. Next, they designed stores that are clean, elegant, and uncluttered. The computers are all up front, all available and fully functional. And if you like what you see, you can take it with you. Oh, and Apple isn't targeting computer shoppers. They're targeting shoppers. A much bigger group. The local Apple store is always busy, always crowded.

I've said for some time, Dell does one thing very well: they have manufacturing a commodity PC down. They don't engineer anything, don't innovate beyond the manufacturing/inventory/production cycle.

So, Dell, if you want a chance at succeeding, don't just copy the surface of the Apple Store, copy the whole thing.

And the movie opens with this scene

KILLER BUG AIR SCARE
"A WOMAN who arrived in London on a flight from Africa yesterday is reported to have died from the deadly and contagious ebola virus."

And it ends with just a small band of plucky survivors. Time to head for the hills?

Actually, I'm told that Ebola isn't really that contagious. And no, thank you, I don't shake hands any more.

It's better to laugh

If only to keep from wearing a tinfoil beanie.

Dear NSA
"Q: Where did I leave my keys?
A: Inside pocket of your gray jacket (it's hanging in the front closet)."

Where exactly does one get tinfoil?

Also works for drunk typing

Just what I needed - a good laugh. Frankly, never even read the page and it probably is important for some people, but I was laughing too hard to continue.

PawSense helps you catproof your computer.

When it hits 25% we invade Iran

USATODAY.com - Bush approval rating hits new low

You think I'm kidding? The way I see it, the Bush administration pretty much has to create some sort of military, "line up behind the flag" moment sometime far enough ahead of the November mid-term elections to maintain any semblance of power.

July sounds about right.

Random Beach Bum

Random Beach Bum
Originally uploaded by cinemamurray.

It's rare that I like photos of me, but this one, I like.

Maybe it's because I look at this picture and see myself relaxed and happy in my Tilley Hat.

It is a damn comfortable hat.

Film at 11 (what time is it now?)

OK, experimenting with something - let's see if this FilmLoop thingie works.

Well, I'm back

Cinnamon Bay ,
originally uploaded by cinemamurray.

But it would have been so nice to stay.

I was simply amazed at how beautiful the Virgin Islands are, and specifically, St. John. And so easy to travel to from the Eastern Time Zone.

Terrific, relaxing vacation.

On a side note: there are so many more super rich Americans than I'd ever really thought about. In my daily life I'm sure I see them, but there, in the islands, it's completely clear who has not just money, but extreme amounts of it. Frankly, I'm not envious, just astounded. Who has the millions and the time to sail about the Caribbean in the spring for weeks at a time on multimillion dollar yachts? Apparently far more people than I ever imagined.

Well, good for them. Glad to see someone doing so well. As for me, I'll dream of going back sometime in coming years.

And I use to call a green pepper a mango.

Your Linguistic Profile:

70% General American English

15% Upper Midwestern

10% Yankee

5% Dixie

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?