Mr Sparack Sez

Here's the original picture, from Salon (this article is worth reading):Here's my modification, using Paint.net, a freeware photo manipulation program. It does not have the full functionality of Photoshop, but it's lightyears ahead of the Windoze-bundled Paint program. I've just started learning how to use it, and I quite like it.Ok, more of a Starfleet look, then adding a caption (also with paint.net): I'm no artist, but I know what I like.

I Used to Like Dodgeball

...when it was a kid's game in elementary school. (about 5 1/2 minutes)

Mike Pence obviously believes it's a game played best by politicians. I spent quite a bit of time looking for a full transcript, but it doesn't appear to be available yet. I intend to go through it carefully and cut this guy to pieces. I don't like attacking people, but this is intolerable. First, science is not- in the long run- about what you want to believe. Second, politics has been described as the science of what's possible. Modern republicans apparently see politics as the science of the impossibly irresponsible. Third, the nursery rhyme is stuck in my head... "POP! goes the weasel word!"

Either the republicans are going to die out as a party, or we are going to die out as a species. It's just that simple.

Is This For Real?

Bruce Lee plays ping-pong... as only Bruce Lee could possibly do it. And I'm not truly convinced even he could do this. But I can't discount the possibility.

Hat tip to BizarroBlog

Grrrooooan!

I just found out that today is "Star Wars Day." Never heard of it before. Took me a moment. "May the fourth be with you..." Argh! No humor label on this one.

Sunday Funnies

So this week's big news, of course, was the swine flu. Kyle sent me this link from BoingBoing.
Dr. Zaius posted an oddly existential picture of our favorite vice presidential ex-candidate reporting on Lots of Dogs......and lots of dogs. I actually didn't recognize the patented SP glassy stare at first; I couldn't think of anything but the Talking Heads song, "Cross-Eyed and Painless."
XKCD points out the dangers inherent in cheap entertainment, and My [confined] Space evokes a quieter, less hectic time, when the pace of life was measured in days or weeks rather than milliseconds. (This was one I actually meant to post a while back that somehow got lost in the... ahem... millisecond bustle of the modern data deluge)
LolScience found a picture of a transcendant kitteh at the moment of its transformation into a being of pure energy... not too much of a leap. Kittehs at this age are pretty much beings of pure energy to begin with.And while we're on the topic of biology, a new result emerged from efforts in recombinant DNA and dinosaur cloning: the goposaurus: a cross between and elephant and an extinct leviathan. It promptly drowned itself in a bathtub. (From The Left Coaster)

Also from the world of skepticism and science, a couple of text pieces that gave me giggles:
I don't believe in astrology. But that's typical for a Libra. From Duhism.
Casual Friday Claims Lives Of 13 Nuclear-Waste-Disposal Technicians. The Onion

This is actually a pretty insightful observation,

but I think the obvious response is that, recognizing themselves as animals, they (the PETA protestors) want to be treated ethically too. (Pundit Kitchen)

see more dog and puppy pictures. I haven't been giving appropriate recognition to our canine friends, so in lieu of LolCats this week, here's some LolDogs. The one above recalls wonderful times with friends in my younger years, laughing so hard I thought I was going to pass out for lack of oxygen.

see more dog and puppy pictures. And the above is funny, but highlights some of my fears about where relationships are headed in the web world.

see more Lol Celebs. And I just loved this one. I may be the only person in North American who hasn't seen The Dark Knight. But I'm old enough to remember the cornyness of the original series... and- sigh- Julie Newmar.

Have a good week at work. Don't run with poin-ted sticks; you don't know who you might hurt (but bananas are OK [obscure Monty python reference alert]).(From Criggo, of course)