7.07.2008

security theater

A pointless law went into effect this month. I had a guy wandering around the store the other day blabbing the usual platitudes into thin air- when he checked out he mentioned he was trying to figure out his Bluetooth headset, nestled behind one ear like a wasp.

Drivers on phones aren't dangerous because they have one hand off the wheel, they're dangerous because a wireless vampire is feeding on the lifeblood of their attention.

All the cell phone close calls(hah!) I've had weren't caused by one-handed drivers, they were caused by blank-faced zombies staring dazedly into the middle distance.

My guess is the law of unintended consequences will bite hard here.
"Oh, I can talk all I want now, the law says it's OK as long as I have a headset!"
*crash*

It's also an illustration of our emerging Corpocracy.
They're getting official cover for the obvious dangers of using their product while simultaneously soaking the rubes by requiring them to buy a new piece of equipment- it's win/win!

jeez

Tard on the Loose

Bryan Carisone, a heating and air-conditioning contractor in Raritan, N.J., “absolutely loves” his new GMC Denali XL, an extra-large sport utility vehicle with televisions built into the leather seats. But in June, one week after he bought it, he pulled into a station on a near-empty tank and watched the total climb higher and higher — to $109.

“It just about killed me,” Mr. Carisone said.


However great your admiration for SUVs only some kind of profound dolt buys one THIS SUMMER and gasps at the price of filling the tank.

Breathlessly hysterical stories on the local news about the PAIN at the PUMP have become a running joke at Chez Baxblog (I eagerly await the creation of a slick graphic logo for the PAIN, like they cook up for wars and big storms and white female abductees).
At this juncture how can anyone be genuinely surprised that their steroidal dinosaur-mobile costs a lot to feed?

7.06.2008

biodiesel part II

In which the wife and I continue our depraved quest to starve the world with our deadly famine machine, the Mercedes 300 CD.

book title of the week

The Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Catherine A Liszt.

I've had people ask about it but this is the first copy that's actually come through.

7.05.2008

impending flickr

I've got the pix, I just need to upload them.

(this update is for anner)

the home stretch

Less than a month until the debut.

The midwives report if it was born tomorrow it wouldn't be premature, which is reassuring.

We've gotten as much stuff as we can tidied up and ready to roll- all that's left is transporting the changing table/dresser from the Burls and stuffing a few more boxes of miscellaneous books into the tiny walk in closet turned storage space.

I suffered a delusion our house was cluttered because we had too much in the way of miscellaneous crap.
When I boxed it all up the tally was not kind to my belief- it was 98% books, 2% yarn and crocheted items.
Chalk up another one for the wife.

Work is taken care of- I've been instructed to call the boss when I need to head hospital-ways and he'll cover whatever shifts I need for as long as necessary.
This kind thing is one of the main benefits to pursuing a marginal career in a dying industry.

Now we just hang around and wait.

7.01.2008

80's Explosion


behold THE RED ROCKER before he was corrupted by Van Halen.

a palate cleanser for the previous two posts.

True Customer Tales Redux

about 5 minutes after the last guy, an balding older fellow in a Hawaiian shirt:

"I'm looking for a book- there was this guy on TV? I didn't get his name, but I think it's about something futuristic? Recently?"

True Customer Tales

Gnomish looking middle aged guy with a buzz cut and about a gallon of frozen yogurt in a big styrofoam bowl:

Where would be your section on THE HUMAN CONDITION?


And yes, you could hear the italics.

Suggestion from Bobo:
"you should have handed him the bathroom key."

on fiyah

It looks like it's foggy today, but it's smoke from one of the innumerable blazes consuming my fair state today.

Excellent weather for asthmatic pregnant women, I'm sure.