Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Thu, 22 May 2008 23:50:13 GMT

the international space station is more than a satellite, it is the beginning of our life in space, the realization of past fictions.

overflight listings for the world are at:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.html

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

KRW — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:39:57 GMT

I'm with you on the S/M/L Starbucks BS. I only go into one about 2-3 times a year, if that, and I go through the same nonsense. What amuses me is when you say "medium or whatever you call it" the baristaronessmunchnik will actually ask you "do you mean grande?" Why do they ask me to confirm for them WTF their word for medium is when I just asked them what their word for medium is?

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Chris, Baltimore MD — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:29:39 GMT

Ref: A call to arms, Wow. I haven't agreed with an article that much in a long time. In fact, I'm still nodding my head and angry.
Or maybe just gloomy and disenfranchised...

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Greg, Athens, AL — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:48:53 GMT

Thanks, Will, for posting the link to the Errol Morris story about Sabrina Harmin and Abu Gharib. That has to be the single most fascinating article I've read in a long time. It's intriguing on so many different levels. I'd recommend that article to anyone.

BTW, I couldn't get the Jack Sparrow link to work (though maybe the problem is on my end -- I'm not very computer savvy).

I also found the view-through-the-legs page interesting. I noticed four basic themes that tend to be conveyed in view-through-the-legs images: (1) Sex - obviously; (2) Power - one person towering menacingly over someone else; (3) Confrontation - the classic gunfight image; and (4) Surprise discovery - such as someone discovering a dead body. Almost all of the images shown on the page seemed to covey one or more of those four themes.

On another matter, I'm a coffee drinker who has no use for Starbucks: I don't care for the taste or the price (for the price of a single cup of Starbucks, I could drink several pots of home-brewed coffee). Nonetheless, I sympathize with your annoyance at the Starbucks people who want to force you to speak their arcane language instead of simply acknowledging the commonly accepted meaning of the English word "medium". Given the business they're in, they ought to realize that people in need of a caffeine fix are in no mood to play their silly word games.

Also, the movie Traitor looks like it has a lot of potential. I could probably comment on several more of the links in this post; but I'll shut up now. :-)

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

DC, Los Angeles, CA — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:57:05 GMT

As a former employee of Disneyland (about 13 years ago) I'm never surprised by the stories. There is quite a lot of interesting stuff that goes on behind the scenes. And you get an intersting mix of people you come across. I suggest reading "Mouse Tales", it's very accurate and funny.

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Summer, Seattle, WA — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:48:33 GMT

Chris, I couldn't agree with you, or that article more! I am an almost-thirty-something, and after several years in the work force, decided to go back to school to become more involved with non-profit work and I am SURROUNDED by the y-ers! (or millenials, whatever you would like to call them) You want to talk about work ethic, they need affirmation after everything they've done right. Look, if you do your job right, you get to keep your job, THERE'S your affirmation! Not to mention one that just started at my office (where I've been working for over five years) and three weeks into starting he screamed at me because he was frustrated. Yes, I've become frustrated with my co-workers, but I have NEVER yelled at them. These kids need to learn!
(/rant) :)

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John, Chicago, IL — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:07:36 GMT

Correct me if I'm wrong but GoldenEye burned up in a retro-rocket malfunction. ;P

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Maria, Puerto Rico — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:14:22 GMT

One of those satellites is in need of repair and it's replacement is not up to par? The old saying, "they just don't make 'em like they used to."

"Flawed U.S. Weather Satellite May Be Lofted to Avert Crisis "...
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE2DA103FF937A25756C0A967958260

If they can't get "vital pictures to track storms and hurricanes," what's it good for?

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Maria, Puerto Rico — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:44:57 GMT

By the way, "grande" means large in Spanish. Do you think they "try" to confuse you on purpose to get you to buy the largest size? I couldn't remember the size name thingys so. I looked it up. Tall(that's English for something big--short is more like small),Grande, and Venti (means 20 in Italian--hey,they got that right!-20 oz.) I havn't been to Starbuck's since I tried Borders'coffee. Coffee and a book,yummy :)

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Jess, Ohio — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:44:29 GMT

Sometime after reading your starbuck's article I found my self there to meet a friend. The woman taking my order tried to engage me in an extremely awkward conversation about my weekend plans. I don't mind a hello, how are you, but what they were having her do (and I don't believe for a second it was her idea to be so chatty) was veering on nosy; it was very weird. Anyway, oh, the timing of things, it was great.

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matt lowe, alamogordo, nm — Mon, 26 May 2008 06:13:01 GMT

hmm.. yeah, gen y has no culture. as opposed to what? the hippie culture of the sixties? the do whatever and then me culture of the seventies? the ohmygodcheckthisout culture of the eighties? yeah.

maybe they are the ones who are coming back to what a normal culture could or should be. more likely they are the byproduct of the aforementioned and way overly hyped crap generations. now that i've been forced to think about it, it doesn't surprise me that some idiot that came to age in the late 80s or early 90s would say that the so called gen y has no culture. after all, how many times have you heard from some ancient hippie that after the beatles there was no music worth listening to?

yeah, screw that. they got their own culture just like we had ours. you don't understand it? why? you too old? hmmm... how's that saying go from way back when? if its too loud......

oddly enough i don't feel the need to apologize for my feelings about my kids and their culture. all i really want to do is tell the idiots that think like that article to ............... and ...... and..... and then punch them in the skull.

later.

matt.

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Steve, AR — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:16:05 GMT

Lighten up, Francis.

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Chris, Baltimore MD — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:06:07 GMT

Wow Matt...that was...convincing. The Beatles were great musicians and a great band! As for the rest, perhaps you need a nap?

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

Michelle, Los Angeles — Tue, 27 May 2008 22:33:54 GMT

Your Starbucks encounter reminded of this funny commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3zYOGNP92M

-Michelle

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

robin hood, georgia — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:16:32 GMT

"Like the time you forgot the croissandwich in your glove compartment and parked in the sun."

What a fascinating thing to forget. Do you mean actual already baked croissants? Or the ones in the whomp tube from the grocery store?
And really? In the glove compartment?

Thursday post 'em if you got 'em

TS, Salt Lake City — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:45:16 GMT

I can never remember the names of the sizes at Starbucks either. My solution to the problem: tell them how many ounces you want. "16 oz" etc. They've never corrected me to this date...

Also, thank you for the link to the Abu Garaib photo article. Very facsinating.