tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35580062011-04-21T23:39:04.208-04:00Pardon the BloggEruptionMusings on politics, education, science, sports ... and other stuff.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.comBlogger831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-39882580565684395822007-05-20T01:04:00.000-04:002007-05-20T01:17:12.168-04:00Just a minor vent I need to get out of my system:When did men's clothiers start making shirts in this "athletic fit" style that only works if you have no upper body? I've been shopping for some new shirts recently, and it's been harder to find something comfortable than I ever remember. I'm a big guy. I wear an 18/35 Oxford shirt. I'm not obese, I'm just big. My neck is thick, my shoulders Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1176849009365695592007-04-17T18:15:00.000-04:002007-04-17T18:30:15.810-04:00Right, Because Laws Prevent Crimes ...Stories like this one just infuriate me. Seriously, I feel sorry for the kid and what he's been through, but doesn't the fact that his assailants received sentences of life and 90 years sort of render his crusade a bit pointless?Laws don't prevent crimes in and of themselves. No hate crime legislation would make an attacker think twice about perpetrating a crime. Aside from being completely Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1175980113986013442007-04-07T17:06:00.000-04:002007-04-07T17:25:39.120-04:00Bible StudySo Texas Rep. Warren Chisum has introduced a bill to mandate that Texas schools to offer elective courses on the history and literature of the Bible. The initial reactions are pretty standard fare, with cries about the separation of church and state, etc. Since Georgia brought Bible study back into the public schoolhouse last year, I'd expect to see a lot more of this over the next decade.I find Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1170890641236155062007-02-07T18:03:00.000-05:002007-02-07T18:29:32.770-05:00Bad Ideas Back HomeA couple news stories from back home in Texas caught my eye:Governor "Slick" Rick Perry signed an executive order requiring female students to be immunized against HPV starting in 2008. Forget the morality implications some fringe critics are arguing; everything about this stinks. The requirement is for Merck's Gardasil, and there are some high-level connections between former Perry staffers and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1170888742138933912007-02-07T17:44:00.000-05:002007-02-07T17:53:39.226-05:00Hilarious Regulatory Side Effects, Part 73Most local school districts have closed their doors for the past few days due to the cold weather. But there's not much snow on the ground, nor are the roads icy. In the past, schools would have at most a 2-3 hour delay before resuming a regular schedule. While I'm not at all phased by the closures (being a good Texan who thinks that anything below 50°F is ungodly), my wife was mystified by the Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1170886252101240032007-02-07T17:08:00.000-05:002007-02-07T17:11:02.760-05:00Back, again?Well, I'm more than a little inconsistent, aren't I? I'm going to see if I can give this one last go ... if it works, I'll keep this bad boy up. If not, I'll just trash it.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1132273042171080092005-11-17T19:12:00.000-05:002005-11-17T19:17:22.183-05:00The Curse of John MaddenI think we can safely say that the Madden Football Curse is now officially verified. Though Ray Lewis largely escaped the injury part of the curse, even his production fell off, and if such a thing can be said, he didn't have quite the impact in 2004 as he'd had in years past.I'm particularly annoyed this time around, as McNabb was my #1 choice for my fantasy league. Blah.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1132168322041907772005-11-16T14:05:00.000-05:002005-11-16T14:12:02.053-05:00CivmaniaYeah, it's back. Civilization IV is out, and I'm once again addicted.I've been largely using the Romans and Germans, as I did with Civs I-III, but the learning curve is definitely tougher this time around. I would regularly dominate on Monarch (pretty hard) with Civ2 and Civ3, but even Warlord is giving me a rough time.Anyway, here's to hoping that they make an Alpha Centuari II down the road.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1131601534738070522005-11-04T00:31:00.000-05:002005-11-10T11:57:00.666-05:00Further Thoughts(Whoops, saved as draft and didn't publish ...)To build on my thoughts from the other day, what I've particularly noticed in the internal conservative dialogue (largely from blogs, forums, and talk radio) is an increasing tension between a large segment of the "Activist / GOTV" base and the, for lack of a better term, "intelligentsia" of the movement. Most of it is (Republican) party driven. FromErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1130908341636487062005-11-02T13:30:00.000-05:002005-11-03T13:42:18.836-05:00Conservatives, Catholics, the Court, and ChangesOver at the Volokh Conspiracy, Todd Zywicki has a compelling post reflecting on Samuel Alito's background, the conservative movement's makeup, and demographic shifts. It's a compelling read, particularly since the media has been making much hay of the fact that, if Alito is confirmed, the SCOTUS will have 5 Roman Catholics. While this says much about the increasing acceptance of Catholics in the Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1130788579116843932005-10-31T14:24:00.000-05:002005-10-31T14:56:19.126-05:00Happy HalloweenerI've never been a huge fan of Halloween. In fact, I commented on this a while back. The idea of dressing up has never appealed to me, I don't enjoy scares, and to be quite honest, the macabre focus gives me the jibblies. I am, however, a huge fan of free candy, so I'm pretty ambivalent on the whole "holiday."That said, I'm highly disappointed that once again, a number of spineless school Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1130786566137945302005-10-31T14:11:00.000-05:002005-10-31T14:22:46.150-05:00Alito for SCOTUSBriefly ... the Alito pick looks like a home run for the conservative / libertarian movement, particularly contrasted with the debacle that was the Miers nomination. I'm quite pleased, particularly after reading some excerpts of his opinions. (No, I'm not a lawyer, but constitutional law is and should be accessible to educated non-attorneys.)Predictions: Alito will be confirmed by the end of Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-1130773604113181362005-10-30T10:45:00.000-05:002005-10-31T10:49:04.023-05:00BackAfter a very long hiatus, I'm going to be using this bad boy again. More fun stuff to come.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-887266902003-02-07T16:56:00.000-05:002003-02-07T16:56:16.550-05:00The PAIN TRAIN is Coming!
I love commercials. Always have, always will. Once in a while, however, a commercial comes along that transcends normal consumerism and becomes something bigger. Gentle readers, one Mr. Terry Tate, Office Linebacker has entered that realm.
Apparently, Reebok will be putting out a Terry Tate #56 jersey soon. Yes, I am going to try and find one. WOO! WOO!
Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-885441152003-02-04T14:04:00.000-05:002003-02-04T14:04:24.203-05:00More NASA Blogging
Charles Krauthammer has a wonderful column today, basically echoing my thoughts about NASA's future.
Paul (What, me Enron?) Krugman is much more fatalistic in his approach, largely since he can't see past the end of his nose. As it stands right now (or rather, where it stood on 1/31/03), he's correct in saying, "our current approach — using hugely expensive rockets to launchErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-884352732003-02-02T16:08:00.000-05:002003-02-03T03:41:59.000-05:00"A Bad Day"
Yesterday was "a bad day" for NASA. As such, it was a bad day for me, too. Space is in my blood. Space exploration and an intense fascination with anything relating to space and astronomy has been a major part of my life as far back as I can recall. It's very easy to be like that when you grew up in Friendswood during the early 80s, when the town was smaller, wealthier, and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-881368702003-01-27T23:04:00.000-05:002003-01-28T13:49:57.000-05:00Super Post-Mortem
As I stated many times (though not on this blog ... damn worm), Tampa Bay's defense totally shut down Oakland's elderly offense. Supposedly the core of the Raider team will return for the 2003 season, though I'm given to believe that Gannon, Brown, Rice, Romo, and the Woodsons are too physically worn out to be a major contender again. In my preseason predictions, I thought Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-877068432003-01-19T22:02:00.000-05:002003-01-19T23:14:22.000-05:00Georgia's Flag Still Sucks
David Broder has a piece today in reference to Georgia's flag situation. Some would like to return to the old flag, which featured the Confederate Battle Flag.
While I understand the reasons for possibly wanting to change Georgia's flag design away from any linkage to the Confederacy, any person with any sense of aesthetic value should understand why the current Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-874905772003-01-15T14:46:00.000-05:002003-01-15T14:46:17.963-05:00A-HA!
Mystery surrounding the Lincoln commercials has been solved. The song in question is "Get a Move On" by Mr. Scruff on the album Keep It Unreal. It will soon be mine.
Also found on Amazon.com, while comparing textbook prices (cheaper at the university store, believe it or not), was a particularly interesting attempt to have me purchase other items. I'm looking at this text, for ChemicalErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-874040822003-01-14T01:10:00.000-05:002003-01-14T01:10:27.623-05:00McGahee Going Pro
ESPN.com is reporting that Willis McGahee, he of the three torn ligaments in his knee after the Fiesta Bowl, will declare for the NFL draft soon. Uhh ... Earth to Willis! Earth to Willis! You are now, at best, a fourth round pick. NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE is going to take you in the first three rounds, with all the signing bonuses and such those three rounds usually entailErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-874036582003-01-14T00:59:00.000-05:002003-01-14T00:59:43.796-05:00Asides ...
Anyone else think the jazz tune in the recent Lincoln commercials is pretty damn snappy? I find myself humming it at times. Like now. Seriously, if it's a real recording or something like that, I must own it.
On a related point, often when I get a song stuck in my head, I must either (a) listen to it incessantly for a few hours until it's gone, or (b) purchase or download saidErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-870497832003-01-07T02:41:00.000-05:002003-01-07T02:57:44.000-05:00A Minor Vexillogical Point
OK, everyone, repeat after me. The Confederate Battle Flag is NOT the "Stars and Bars." It is the Confederate Battle Flag.
Again. The Confederate Battle Flag is NOT the "Stars and Bars." It is the Confederate Battle Flag.
Let's have a little Southern history lesson, shall we? Upon creation of the CSA in 1861, this flag was adopted. This flag was known as "StarsErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-870384212003-01-06T21:53:00.000-05:002003-01-06T21:53:13.610-05:0072-55
I don't want to hear anything about the weak OOC schedule anymore, thank you. The foul shooting worries me, though Knight's problems at the line tonight can be attributed to (A) lingering knee problems and (B) sheer frustration at the hacks ND was giving him in the final few minutes. Totally uncalled-for crap from the Irish.
The only games that scare me right now are 2/1 at the 'Cuse Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-867714082002-12-31T21:58:00.000-05:002003-01-01T16:26:30.000-05:00More Bowl Picks
Wow, I feel like Lee Corso. My picks are almost the kiss of death. Good thing my connection died for several days so that I couldn't subject the world to disastrously picking West Virginia, Oregon, Washington, and Arkansas to win. I would have picked Minnesota to beat the spread, though, so that counts for something, right? No, I guess not.
So anyway, how about the Jan. 1 Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-864898412002-12-24T14:56:00.000-05:002002-12-24T14:56:00.010-05:00Merry Christmas, Dammit!
Thank You, Gumby.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-864886602002-12-24T14:19:00.000-05:002002-12-25T00:53:15.000-05:00First Set of Bowl Picks
Yea! We've waited all year for this, the best season to be a college football fan -- BOWL SEASON!!!! This time around, we do picks against the spread on the remaining 25 bowl games.
Las Vegas Bowl
UCLA (-10 1/2) vs. New Mexico
A 10 point spread for a UCLA team that has done diddly-poo all year? Well, they are playing that MWC powerhouse New Mexico. Still, Bob Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-864279092002-12-23T03:15:00.000-05:002002-12-23T03:19:18.000-05:00Damn
Meat Loaf was in town on Saturday. Why did I not know about this? This always happens when people I'd actually pay to go see come to Houston. About two years ago, the same thing happened with Lewis Black.
Oh well ...
Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-849313472002-11-22T12:22:00.000-05:002002-11-22T12:22:19.733-05:00The Longest Yard
Bah! Rod puts some more touch on that pass, and we're headed to overtime. Damn. Alas, it wasn't to be. No moral victories for us anymore; winning is the only acceptable outcome. Much credit goes to all the Pitt players who let it all hang out on the field and kept nothing back. Let's beat the Hoopies and go to the Gator Bowl, probably against Maryland. That would be one Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-848828662002-11-21T14:21:00.000-05:002002-11-21T14:21:34.466-05:00Iron Bowl
How could I forget one of the fiercest rivalries ever? D'oh! Francione schools Tuberville as the elephant metaphorically stomps all over War Eagle.
'Bama 32, Auburn 7.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-848812542002-11-21T13:44:00.000-05:002002-11-24T23:00:25.000-05:00More Fearless Predictions
Hopefully more accurate this week ... only 7 correct picks. Kansas State and Georgia were the best picks of the week. Congrats to the WVU Hoopies for knocking off a now-demoralized VaTech squad. If Pitt knocks off Miami tonight, it will be the Brawl for it All. Anyway, on to the picks!
Pitt at Miami: 31-0 vs 14-2. Dorsev vs. Rutherford. McGahee vs. Miree. Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-845344822002-11-14T12:45:00.000-05:002002-11-14T13:16:49.000-05:00This Week's Picks
This will likely become a major feature as, well, I'm always very sports-oriented. Grad school keeps me from doing too much politicizing.
Last Week: 10-3, straight up. Particularly prescient picks for the Terps, the Titans, and the Rams. I had the gist of the Pitt-Temple and KSU-ISU game, though the scores were way off. Falcons and Steelers kiss their sisters, though bothErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-841592642002-11-07T01:38:00.000-05:002002-11-07T01:39:41.000-05:00The Big Finish ... For This Week
Pardon the BloggEruption will be taking the rest of the week off, since I will be with my gorgeous lady friend this weekend back in the 'Burgh. Also, I'll be attending the first game Pitt has played as a ranked team since 1991, and I'll be grabbing dinner at my favorite Indian restaurant Friday night. No, I will not be at TRASH regionals at CMU. I have Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-841399972002-11-06T18:12:00.000-05:002002-11-06T18:12:12.756-05:00More Election Rundown
Colorado: Sen. Wayne Allard knew something no one outside of Colorado seemed to know -- he was never in any serious danger.
Florida: Ditto.
Maryland: Ehrlich's win over Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, while historically unexpected, was no major shock. She ran a very weak campaign and was seriously hindered by an unpopular outgoing Democrat governor (Glendening). More Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-841260902002-11-06T12:57:00.000-05:002002-11-06T13:00:52.000-05:00All Your Congress Are Belong To Us
What happen!?!? Somebody set us up the sweep! Those who know me know that I'm a small-"L" libertarian, largely vote GOP in the big races, and vote Libertarian whenever possible for the smaller ones. Basically, after watching coverage through about 2AM Central last night, I haven't been this politically pumped since November 1994. It is a great day for Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-839498022002-11-03T02:28:00.000-05:002002-11-03T02:30:23.000-05:00Hail to Pitt!
Hail to Pitt, indeed! How about a grand old Alleghanee Genac Genac Genac! Congratulations to the Panthers, Walt Harris, and the whole of the Pitt community for knocking off the #3 Hokies! How 'bout them Panthers!!!
My orignal prediction was VaTech 30, Pitt 17, but I'm happy as can be that we pulled this one off. Bring on the Owls, the Canes, and the Hoopies! We control our Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-839309422002-11-02T16:07:00.000-05:002002-11-02T16:07:16.486-05:00State Flags -- What Do You Think?
Texas, with a score of 39, was the clear winner of the contest. Some of you will say that I'm biased, being a native Texan and current resident. Well, this might be true, but I'm going to let my readership chime in with comments and votes of their own. In the spirit of fairness, I'd also like to hear what you think the worst flag was. So, here we go:
Top 6 Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-839295372002-11-02T15:19:00.000-05:002002-11-02T15:55:58.000-05:00State Flags, Day 10 -- The Conclusion
VIRGINIA
Deep blue field features state seal of Virginia on center. Seal features female figure Virtue, standing atop a fallen tyrant (signified by the fallen crown, scourge, and chain). Seal reads "VIRGINA" above and "SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS" below.
Visual Appeal: 5Yeah, it's a seal with words and detailed figures. But come on, it says "Sic Semper Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-838614962002-11-01T00:48:00.000-05:002002-11-01T01:58:53.000-05:00State Flags, Day 9
Almost there!
SOUTH DAKOTA
Sky blue field with the state seal in the center. Seal is surrounded by a 24-point blazing sun. Arround the seal and sun are the words "SOUTH DAKOTA THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE." State seal is black/white and features an agrarian scene and lots of words.
Visual Appeal: 4Aside from the plethora of words and the seal, this one actually doesn't Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-838178952002-10-31T05:49:00.000-05:002002-10-31T05:49:07.746-05:00Holy Cow
On a lark, I looked a little more closely at some of those pamphlets I linked to below. The money link is here. Scroll down a bit, to the thirteenth row of "cartoon" panels. The one on the right. Yeah, take a good look at it. That's no pentagram, boys and girls. Oh, no. It's a Star of David!! Way to show your true anti-Semitic colors, Chick! Oh, and nice polemics about us Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-838170822002-10-31T05:11:00.000-05:002002-10-31T05:11:51.953-05:00Happy Friggin' Halloween
I've never really been a fan of this so-called "holiday," but I'm certainly not one of the religious anti-Halloween crowd. (For more fun, scroll down and check out the kind of "treats" they give kids! Fun for the whole God-fearing family! Check the box at the end and ensure eternal salvation!)
Yes, I know, I'm touching on two of the three deadly subjects today, butErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-838163142002-10-31T04:35:00.000-05:002002-10-31T04:35:43.333-05:00Quote of the Day
As seen on the Yahoo! Message board about the Democrat's ridiculous "memorial service" (aka political pep rally) for Paul Wellstone:
But cheer up, Dems ... in true Democrat fashion, I'm sure Wellstone will continue to vote, even if he is dead. Twice.
Time to sit back and watch the lawsuits fly. Minnesota, Missouri, and Louisiana all figure to be reenactments of Florida 2000. Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-837519202002-10-29T22:54:00.000-05:002002-10-29T23:12:07.000-05:00Daily Wrap-up
Tim has just started another interesting contest, The Jukebox From Hell. I'm going to make a not-so-bold prediction that "Macarena" will be crowned the horrendous winner.
Dwight has some more responses to my thoughts earlier today. There's not too much more to say on circuit expansion, so I'll just encapsulate it here:
Perhaps we're two ends of the spectrum on travelling -- I Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-837158822002-10-29T08:54:00.000-05:002002-10-29T08:54:17.586-05:00Ironhead. Zest-Fully Trashy!
Carey and I went gold this morning with the announcements. Check out the Ironhead Quiz Productions page to see what we're talkin' about, Willis!Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-837103942002-10-29T05:29:00.000-05:002002-10-29T14:13:44.000-05:00More Response
Dwight, my man ... I've got to take you to task again today. Point-by-point, followed by some summary.
I don't believe I implied that your initial post was a front for NAQT, or that only NAQT will benefit from more teams on the circuit. Perhaps I should have been clearer, so here goes ... More teams on the circuit will, generally, mean more $$$ for you and NAQT, no matter howErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-837036892002-10-29T00:59:00.000-05:002002-10-29T01:13:07.000-05:00State Flags, Day 8
OKLAHOMA
Sky blue field with an Osage Indian shield in the center. Shield is crossed by a peace pipe and olive branch. "OKLAHOMA" is directly beneath shield.
Visual Appeal: 3Words. Quasi-seals or detailed figures. Doesn't do much for me.
Significance: 7Well, there's the whole Indian Territory thing ...
Recognition: 5Same ol', same ol' ...
Reproducability: 5Shield Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-836755962002-10-28T14:23:00.000-05:002002-10-28T16:35:00.000-05:00Circuit Expansion
Today's quizbowl commentary is largely a response to Dwight's October 27 post. Go ahead and read it first if you haven't already. I'll be right here.
OK. I think Dwight's working off a totally different premise from the legions of others who have made comments about the QB circuit's health and/or future. Most individual teams, etc., have no vested interest in circuit Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-836501202002-10-28T02:01:00.000-05:002002-10-28T02:01:50.750-05:00Anaheim Wins
Well, I had Anaheim making it to the ALCS, but losing to Oakland. Whoops. I also had SF losing in the Divisional Round. Not a particularly great World Series this year, though it was compelling at times, particularly Games 2 and 6. Barry broke out of his postseason blues, but one man cannot win the World Series. Great team effort by the Angels all year long. Mike Scoscia Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-836487702002-10-28T01:19:00.000-05:002002-10-28T01:42:41.000-05:00State Flags, Day 7
Into the home stretch, sorta ...
NEW MEXICO
Yellow field with a red sun symbol (from the Zia Indians) in the center.
Visual Appeal: 9Boom! This is what a good flag looks like. Simple, to the point, and effective. Not quite 10 level (almost too simple), but very close.
Significance: 7Yellow and red for the old Spanish colony days, and the sun is an effective symbol of Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-834132082002-10-23T13:17:00.000-04:002002-10-23T13:17:11.773-04:00OOPS!
How embarassing. I don't know if I would have even noticed it had I been listening, and if I had, I can't say whether I'd have laughed or been offended. Probably a little of both.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-833931142002-10-23T02:36:00.000-04:002002-10-23T02:36:35.000-04:00Quizbowl Thoughts
In response to things posted by Dwight and others in the IRC chat and over at the Quizbowl Yahoo! group, I'm going to start posting some quasi-rambling thoughts on issues as my thoughts on them coalesce. Lucidity is not guaranteed here, but I encourage comments and feedback, as always. (BTW, thanks for reading, Brian)
On Graduate Students and Other Dinosaurs: I’m one of themErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-833657472002-10-22T15:51:00.000-04:002002-10-28T00:50:25.000-05:00State Flags, Day 6
Whoa, today really is a BloggEruption ... Onward to the flags!
MONTANA
State seal sits in the center of a blue field. Above the seal is the word "MONTANA" in gold letters. Seal features a mountain and waterfall scene, with a plow, shovel, and pickaxe above the state motto "ORO Y PLATA" or "Gold and Silver."
Visual Appeal: 2Seal. Words. Lame.
Significance: 3The motto Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-833646712002-10-22T15:28:00.000-04:002002-10-22T15:28:42.066-04:00Van Halen
A small response to Carey's analogy, as posted over on Dwight's site. It is an interesting analogy, if perhaps extended too far ...
Roth and Hagar did go on tour together (whether it's still going on now, I can't say) and they came to Houston back in June or so. I would have gone, but we were at NAQT HSCT. Hagar's the better solo performer -- he plays guitar as well, and can do a Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-833641092002-10-22T15:16:00.000-04:002002-10-22T15:25:02.000-04:00Ouch
Damn, you EA Sports. Damn you, John Madden. Damn you, CPU Robo-QB. I just literally punched a divot in the wall of my room. I think the stress from the Mathematical Methods class is starting to get to me ...
Time to break out the drywall and paint ... oh well ...
And while I'm at it, I'm going to rant for a second about some political campaign ads. Please tell me what the following Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-833569012002-10-22T12:23:00.000-04:002002-10-22T12:23:59.400-04:00Houellebecq Cleared
A marginal victory in France for free speech, as evidenced by the refusal of a three-judge panel to convict Michel Houellebecq for "inciting racial hatred" by calling Islam "a stupid religion." Just a reminder that the rest of the world does not enjoy anywhere near the number of constitutionally enumerated and protected rights as we do here in the USA. Strange, though, how Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-833142212002-10-21T16:36:00.000-04:002002-10-21T16:36:23.396-04:00Kung Pao!
For anyone interested in seeing the recipe to my best and favorite dish, check out Chez Steiny right now! And, as always, feel free to leave a comment here.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-833139272002-10-21T16:29:00.000-04:002002-10-21T16:37:31.000-04:00State Flags, Day 5
And the lame-o flags just keep on coming ...
MASSACHUSETTS
White field with state coat of arms in center. Coat of arms features a Native American with bow and arrow and a white star. Scroll around flag reads "Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem," or "By the Sword We Seek Peace, but Peace Only Under Liberty."
Visual Appeal: 3Violates the First and Second Laws, but Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-831587552002-10-18T03:31:00.000-04:002002-10-18T03:31:13.413-04:00Take Back the Night?
Instead of trying to come up with good, positive solutions, the usual SGB suspects are going to "TAKE BACK THE NIGHT!" with bullhorns and posterboards. They're also furthering the lie about rape and sexual assault being so prevalent on American college campuses.
Note that they never merely say rape, but they must also include sexual assault, whose definition is so Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-831343312002-10-17T16:44:00.000-04:002002-10-17T17:11:21.000-04:00State Flags, Day 4
OK, yes, I'm ostensibly posting this the same day as Day 3. I was busy with homework this week, so I'm catching up.
KANSAS
Blue field with state seal in the center. Above the seal is a sunflower sitting atop a bar of blue and gold. Below the seal is the word "KANSAS" in big gold letters.
Visual Appeal: 2Snoozeriffic. Words and seals, again, but Kansas' seal isn't even Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-831333092002-10-17T16:21:00.000-04:002002-10-17T16:40:58.000-04:00State Flags, Day 3
HAWAII
British Union Jack in upper left. Remainder of field consists of 8 alternating stripes of white, red, and blue.
Visual Appeal: 4Ahh! Busy lines! Colors are nice, but, umm ... Hawaii? You do realize you're part of the United States, right? Not the UK?
Significance: 1OK, the Union Jack symbolizes the previous kingdom's friendship with the British. Great. Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-828727622002-10-12T00:29:00.000-04:002002-10-12T01:36:01.000-04:00State Flags, Day 2
COLORADO
Horizontal tricolor of blue, white, and blue, with a red circular "C" beginning at 1/5 fly, the interior of which is a gold circle.
Visual Appeal: 6The "C" comes very close to violating the First Law. Other than that, the simplicity of the bars and circles works.
Significance: 5"C" is for "Colorado," or maybe "Centennial"? Gold is for gold in them thar' hills.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-827898122002-10-10T09:31:00.000-04:002002-10-12T01:24:51.000-04:00State Flag Showdown
Many people who know me also know that I have a penchant for vexillology. I like flags. Why? I don't know. It probably stems from an assignment I was given by my G/T teacher in 4th grade, where I had to research the history of flags and give a little presentation to my G/T class about them. Why did I get that assignment? I was probably the only one who was boring enoughErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-827891622002-10-10T09:13:00.000-04:002002-10-10T09:19:25.000-04:00Meesa Back
Damn, grad school is busy. I'm going to experiment over the next month or so with more of a daily log type style of blog. Not quite diary, not quite commentary. Somewhere in the middle ...
That having been said, a quick look at the Nobel citation for Literature Prize winner Imre Kertesz includes this little nugget: "The refusal to compromise in Kertesz's stance can be perceived Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-815145282002-09-12T13:43:00.000-04:002002-09-12T13:43:37.410-04:00Sports Rundown
Issue One: Pennant Races-- Despite one hell of a season from June onward, a poor April and May have doomed the Astros to the outside-looking-in stance for this year's playoffs. They still have seven games to play against the Cards, so anything is possible, but I fear that a 6.5 game deficit is just too much to make up at this point, especially with the Cards being hot as they areErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-815128002002-09-12T12:59:00.000-04:002002-09-12T12:59:55.000-04:00Onward to Baghdad
Thoroughly brilliant speech by President Bush today at the UN. Until very recently, I had been waffling daily on the Iraqi issue. No more, provided the Brits stay in the game with us. Regime change is past overdue in Baghdad, and the real shame is not "naked American aggression" as the EuroElite would have us believe, but rather that the US, UK, and UN dropped the ball in Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-812082362002-09-05T18:40:00.000-04:002002-09-05T19:23:01.000-04:00Anti-Americanism: the new Chic
Some notes from the front:
If there were ever a better reason to totally discredit anything and everything associated with UCal-Berkeley, this would be it. Sorry folks, if you're so damn offended by a red, white, and blue ribbon, maybe you should just crawl into a cave (by yourself or with your al Qaeda pals) and cower until the end of time. Maybe they could say Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-811221252002-09-03T23:10:00.000-04:002002-09-03T23:10:49.416-04:00Catching Up
Thanks to Dwight on the plug for PTBE and Chez-Steiny.
Purchased Madden 2003 for the PC today. Am officially addicted. Again.
Haven't been able to give too much thought to the top 10 US events, largely due to homework and the like. Will endeavor to have a list by Friday.
Did I mention how cool Madden 2003 was?
Will be back in the saddle again for quizbowl this year, likely Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-810072462002-09-01T19:08:00.000-04:002002-09-01T19:33:21.000-04:00National Pastime(s)?
Fresh from averting total fan disaster by finally inking a labor deal, MLB is at it again. This is somewhat old news to Astros fans who have seen the threats made to AstrosConnection and Astros Daily, but the sheer gall shown by the MLB's sharks is still both amazing and sickening. Kudos go to the Astros front office and Uncle Drayton himself who helped intervene for the Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-809857352002-09-01T03:24:00.000-04:002002-09-01T03:24:27.000-04:00In Rod We Trust?
After the 27-14 win over Ohio U., we've certainly got a few questions about this year's Pitt team. QB Rod Rutherford was only 9-for-22 with 2 TDs and 3 INTs, though it seems as if 2 of those were off of tips. One of the TDs was a shuffle pass to Raymond Kirkley, and there were a number of drops by WRs Slade and Bynes, so Rod's line would more realistically look something like Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-809849402002-09-01T02:48:00.000-04:002002-09-01T03:09:35.000-04:00100 Years ... 10 Events
Interesting article courtesy of UPI and the UK History Channel. Seems the British have fully canonized Princess Di as their new cultural patron saint. Not terribly surprising, given the tendency of American culture to do the same with JFK, though I daresay that Kennedy was a significantly more important figure in the history and culture of the United States than Di ever Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-809494382002-08-31T02:11:00.000-04:002002-08-31T02:11:38.313-04:00Random Thoughts
Damn, Carey, you're funny.
Don't forget to check out Chez Steiny, my personal cooking blog.
Car wrecks: bad ... tow trucks emerging like piranhas at an accident scene, tying up traffic behind them: worse.
I'm starting to believe that even more frightening than the HPD's illegal, heavy-handed K-Mart / Sonic mass arrests are the people who applaud and justify it. These are the Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-809472882002-08-31T00:56:00.000-04:002002-08-31T01:38:24.000-04:00Monthly Sports Rundown
No Strike Zone
Well, this was really a no-brainer, and, from the looks of it, something akin to a strategic cave-in on the parts of the players. They were getting most of the bad press, which isn't terribly surprising given that several media outlets own franchises, and the public seemed ready to place the blame squarely on their shoulders this time if there were a strikeErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-809000862002-08-29T23:09:00.000-04:002002-08-29T23:09:49.096-04:00Gee, Sorry ... Have a Horse!
Thoroughly disgusting idea here from the Saudis. "Gee, all you 3,000 WTC and Pentagon victims' families, we're sorry that 15 of our people committed the worst-ever act of terrorism against your country full of infidels and boobs who do not understand just how wonderfully peaceful the Q'uran and all Saudis are. Here, have a horse." To add insult to injury, the horseErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-808934752002-08-29T20:04:00.000-04:002002-08-29T20:04:26.396-04:00Do Not Disturb the Sexy
P. Puff Diddly-Dang Doo is back at it again, this time with some party he's throwing after the MTV Video Music Awards. Please, please do yourself a favor and check out the invitation linked above at The Smoking Gun.
Unfortunately, due to the scuffed nature of my black dress shoes and the lack of any "FLY SH*T" in my wardrobe (sorry, P.PD-DD, your "Sean John" ain't Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-808931452002-08-29T19:55:00.000-04:002002-08-29T19:55:07.106-04:00Frustration
Mathematical Methods class was supposedly switched (for today only) by the TAs to this afternoon. Not a huge problem ... I get to avoid the early-morning rush hour traffic and sleep in a bit ... though I would appreciate more than two days notice and possibly a class vote before doing any such move. See, they were switching times with the Fluid Transport class, which I (and three Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-808753742002-08-29T12:31:00.000-04:002002-08-29T12:31:33.873-04:00Musical Windows
Brief moment of oddity this morning, as I went to put a CD in my stereo. Currently in the player was William Shatner's The Transformed Man (yes, the one where he sings "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.") Replacing it would be the "Greatest Hits" of Tears for Fears. Sitting next to the stereo were Led Zeppelin I and Saturday Night Fever.
Yes, boys and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-808526282002-08-28T22:58:00.000-04:002002-08-29T12:17:11.000-04:00Hello, Boys! I'm Baaaaaack!
Back from a long hiatus. Apologies to anyone who cared ... I will attempt to be more diligent in the future.Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-774360102002-06-06T18:09:00.000-04:002002-06-06T18:10:19.000-04:00 Mr. Rogers Unwelcome in the Ivy Neighborhood?
According to this story, students at Dartmouth are upset that Fred Rogers of PBS and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood fame will be delivering their commencement address. Apparently he went to Dartmouth for a few years. What a bunch of whiny, snivelling Ivy League kids. Check out this quote from a student: ``I had hoped for someone more awe-evoking,'' Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-774329302002-06-06T16:49:00.000-04:002002-08-29T12:33:55.000-04:00 D-Day, or Drive-Day
Something of an interesting day today. I will be heading to Austin to help staff the NAQT High School Championship Tournament. Potentially the last quizbowl appearance I ever make, barring any masters/freelance play I might take up. I'll be out of town until Sunday night.
The drive from Houston to Austin is perhaps the most enjoyable three-hour car trip you can take in Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-773911102002-06-05T17:39:00.000-04:002002-06-06T00:50:11.000-04:00 Inna Blogga Da Vida
Something struck me as highly familiar about the whole blogging bit. I'd been following the trend for the past year or so -- Andrew Sullivan first brought the whole phenomenon into my attention -- but I'd been remiss to join in on the fun myself, until today. About an hour ago, I realized why this was all so damn familiar -- I did this in high school. Looking at my Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-773851512002-06-05T15:02:00.000-04:002002-06-05T15:12:15.000-04:00 Humbled by Hubble
If you're ever in need of something to make you feel humble or, alternatively, like an insignificant speck of dust on the whole cosmic scale, there's nothing that will do the job quite like a picture from the Hubble Space Telescope. In particular, check out this visual spectrum photograph of the
Tadpole Galaxy. The Tadpole is the wispy one in the middle of the image, being Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-773830152002-06-05T14:03:00.000-04:002002-06-05T14:03:41.090-04:00 The Juice Box
The Astros have announced that the team has reached an agreement with Houston-based Minute Maid for the naming rights to their pathetic bandbox of a stadium, now to be known as Minute Maid Park at Union Station, thus providing it with one of the more ... disturbing ... acronyms in sports: MMPUS. Brings a few things to mind, notably blisters and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-773818982002-06-05T13:34:00.000-04:002002-06-05T13:35:23.000-04:00Happy Birthday to Me
Huzzah! It's my birthday, and the birthday of this site. Convenient.
As I get older, birthdays become less and less important or even relevant. As a child, it was nice having the B-day six months removed from Christmas, thus ensuring a semi-annual influx of presents or cash, but the major drawback of having it in June was the fact that I never once celebrated a birthday Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3558006.post-773801272002-06-05T12:46:00.000-04:002002-06-05T13:13:53.000-04:00Howdy!
Well, here we go. The title and description for this blog are, rather obviously, inspired by ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption," probably the freshest, most entertaining debate-style shows ever (and not just because it's sports.)
My objective here is to keep a running tab of my ideas, thoughts, and analysis throughout the day. Not terribly earth-shattering in the whole scheme of bloggingErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12686237068669848209noreply@blogger.com0