Blog of Awesome: April 2014

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Hooray for Captain Spaulding

Got all the things I needed for my 8-track install now, including a hi/lo RCA ohms converter and I think a flux capacitor is in the mix somewhere, and my very first multi-meter! I chose analog for it's inefficiency and nostalgia. The 8-track player goes into my technologically advanced Corvette Grand Sport 2012 AUX-Port for irony and low-tech cool factor. Found one unused on eBay. Gotta love eBay.

My CBR600RR/A "Black Tiger" is enjoying the weather, and I was able to start a finicky Ninja 250R I have lurking in the garage, though I didn't take her out.

2009 Honda CBR600RR/A (ABS) "Black Tiger" Meow.

I went to Bass Pro Shops in quest for a good knife. I've never owned a decent one, just a few Chinese pig-steel models like "Fury II" made of crappy aluminum, too soft for actual work-work. Got a Kershaw BlackOut that's "spring assisted" meaning once you start to open the folded blade, it snaps-to rather quickly, somewhat like a switch-blade, though it's a folded knife, not one that's embedded in the handle and ejects upward. Black Out will merely require a light touch, pushing on the thumb-nodule about 1/3rd the way, the knife will finish the last 2/3rds of opening, SNIKT! rather snappily. After reading about it now, I actually made a wise purchase. I went in cold, not knowing of knives too much, except I wanted one from Ah'Murica and was considering a Spyderco brand (has a little spider on it) but a lot of those come from China now (didn't used to) and, well f*** that! I strongly considered a honing (sharpening) stone as well, but I'm not a Master Honer (there's actually professions of this, and legendary masters of it for swords and what-not) so I explained to the worker there that I'd probably do more damage than actually sharpen it, which he agreed. Still, in town there's plenty of decent artisans who are at least Professional Honers, and that'll do the trick when-needed. Not a fan of a serrated inside portion as they just make a mess, really, and sharpening requires, again, a Master Honer Samurai-dude or something like that with the finishing touches requiring a little powder-ball (hazuyia). Nope. I'm not ready for that yet. Nope.

Kershaw Made in USA "Black Out" spring-assisted knife.

The "strawberry" here is my final paper. Yep.

Finished my two classes in college, one was Astronomy and rather difficult calculating distances of galaxies based on Cepheid Variable stars. The final exam was cumulative and brutal, the textbook over 1000 pages (we did it all in 8 weeks, 150 pages a week). Still, I got an "A" in the class, somehow. When I mention that I got an A in both the beginner writing class and Astronomy, everyone says, "Of course you did." Sigh. Am I that predictable? Virgos aren't that bad, are we? The teacher in the writing class said she wanted to save my paper for "dessert" but that I had submitted it 5 days early she had no choice but to read it. Got a 100% on it, again, somehow, but I'm beyond flattered I have a reader who appreciates it. I had to do it on left-right brain hemispheres and learning through music. For my Bachelor's in Science, 2 down, 20 to go, though I'm loathe to finish it early as I'm getting a Post-9/11 Bill stipend due to my 15 years military service of about $700 a month to do it, tax-free. Might take me .. two years to finish it. I only get this because I didn't use my rather shitty Montgomery GI Bill promised to every military member in the '80s and '90s. Thought it was a waste. Turns out my nose-upturning was a good idea. Thanks for the Snowcone, Snoopy! (note* the "Punch Flavor" tasted like pink hot plastic death, ah the '70s).

Went to a small chain called Bourbon Brothers for lunch. The menu had some 200 bourbons available but I was angry the "Old Fashioned" on the menu had no soda water and the cherry was muddled (personal preference not to have it muddled). I mentioned this to the bartendress Stephanie and she quickly snapped-to and indicated the proper method I described would be no problem at all and that soothed my deepening rage to a small ember again, and back into that Irish "Well of Hatred" that can be drawn forth at any moment like Robert De Niro at the end of Taxi Driver (1976). (Worth a watch btw). Overwhelmed by the selections, I asked for a recommendation.

Note* This menu was difficult to obtain and had to convert from XPS to Jpeg, then fit it in. They actually have a "limited time only" section of about 20 more bourbons.

Decidedly NOT "Stephanie" the bartender.

She asked what I liked and I mentioned Macallan 18, 1987 or Macallan 30 perhaps, so she nodded and recommended Eagle Rare which I asked for "neat, please". She briefly looked up, "That's the only way I would serve it, sir." Well done, miss. Well done. Flavor smacked complexly of honey, vanilla, toffee, orange, and, as always with bourbon, wood. Smooth to drizzle I approved. Had the St.Louis ribs. Sweet and barely any smoke flavor, if at all like smoke from a cigarette blown over it. Still, impressive. Honey-soaked cornbread in its own pan was almost flan-like, though carb-insane I had a tiny nibble only. Sautéed vegetables were uninteresting and uneventful but acceptable. The restaurant is good. Didn't ask for more, one's enough for lunch. I asked what besides Maker's Mark would she recommend for an Old Fashioned to which she needed to think. I gave her time and she recommended 4 Roses Limited Reserve as it balances the orange and cherry. I agreed, such that it wouldn't taste like kindergarten which she laughed and heartily agreed. I'll be back.

That's it. Boring post. All you get for now until tomorrow.

Out.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

A Spanking!

I remember back in the very early 1970's, kids were far more disciplined. Back then, if you did something wrong in the neighborhood, if a "grown up" caught you doing a light evil, such as my crime of smashing a Coke bottle in the street, glass everywhere, you'd be yelled at and possibly spanked. Yep. It was the neighborhood's duty that if a kid's parents weren't around it was totally okay to give that kid a whooping right then and there. Furthermore, the parents would find out eventually, then go over and thank that person for doing the right thing, a downright beating.

In today's society, estrogen-enriched males cower at the thought of actual discipline, especially in public. All parents allow kids to run around a venue, jump in their seat at a movie theater, throw popcorn or food or whatever. Just fine. They almost encourage bad behavior. I don't know if this is right.

You want your daughter to turn out like Lindsey?

I rarely went to a restaurant as a kid under 10. When I was taken, even at McDonald's, there were rules. I had to be quiet and eat my meal and generally finish it until I could eat no more, which wasn't really a big deal as the Happy Meal wasn't invented yet, I'd get the kid-sized portions and be content as can be. We were not allowed to play with our food or be loud. Later, afterwards, we could go outside and play and run around and play tag or what-not and be a bit loud, sure. There was a time and a place for things and discipline was mildly enforced for safety's sake.

You want this to be your kid?

Now I see kids on airplanes doing whatever they please like chimpanzees having a Xanax meltdown. They're fed fast-food every day. I'd say it's okay maybe on a weekly basis like a Saturday family lunch outing but shoving salt and sugar into a kid's face will make him brain-freaked, no? Parents also give their kids constant color-explosion-violence while commuting in vehicles by way of in-car DVD players, smart-phones, and video games so the kids don't have to actually hear their own thoughts (or have any). Again, somewhat fine I guess, though it leaves no room for that little thing I remember called "wonder" but most parents these days have instant information so they never need to know and go to sleep "wondering" anything. Sad, really. Kids will never know "wonder" or value it as a quest, the knowledge cheapened by the lack of the magic of discovery. I'm not against kids getting input, but the parents don't think it through and give no documentaries or scientific fact-based shows on DVD. Educational games are dead, and the "apps" put on smart-phones are mindless.

Good parent Casey likes to par-tay.

Casey's house may now be empty, but she's holding 5 Aces!

I'm really afraid of Generation Ten. Generation Zero is lazy and empty, giving birth to more empty people to whom marijuana will be a fact of life, numb and sloppy. I will at least be valued more for being marginally intelligent and drug-free but also hated and despised for my success of choosing a less-traveled road of discipline and thought.

What you think your kid actually looks like to everyone else.

What your kid actually looks like.

If a parent saw a neighbor spanking their kid briefly for say, dismembering a cat alive, the parent would sue that neighbor because parents in this age are hyper-overly protective of children. Instead of teaching them how to be smart and safe, they teach them to just be stupid and not take that precious time to have them learn the basics and the importance of not going with that man in the black van with the candy. Sigh. The parent should thank that neighbor and then beat the kid himself, explaining that the cat feels pain too and it will never be alive again, it's soul ripped asunder due to the malevolence and hatred the child committed. Nope. Neighbor is sued. Kid is given ice-cream because the parent is too conceited to think his or her offspring is evil incarnate and can't admit being a bad person and "wrong". Hence, we get Obama as President and defenders of that choice are still in denial as several of my friends are losing their job soon. Not okay, and the Ukraine begs us for help and we do nothing. Weak. The entire World thinks we're a weak nation, and that stems from the vanity of bad parenting.

You want interfere with Russian overthrow of nations? You my b*tch, monkey-boy. Da. Eat it. You like? Da?

Kids didn't wear safety gear on bikes, didn't wear seat belts, were NEVER driven to school at age 6, even if it was miles away. Kids learned self-reliance, not reliance of parents and then later the government. Self-reliance is so vital to survival. I can see a huge flux of Aldus Huxley's A Brave New World dial-a-drug for coping in the next 10 years. Thanks Gen Ten. Ugh.

Our future through bad parenting.

So. Beat your kids a bit as necessary. Maybe one time in their life. They'll never forget that.. and learn. They have to listen to you. You are the force of discipline. They need some. Just a bit of focus. I'm not saying beat them all the time, but a very rare spank can get them to pay attention to you and actually value you and what you have to say and behave. Sometimes just one time in their life, not overdone mind-you. I'm not talking Joan Crawford Mommy Dearest here, just a little one-time swack.

Note* This is overkill. Sorry Joan. I promise no more wire coat-hangers, eh? Now let's hug it out.

Talk to your closest neighbors and know who they are and let them know that if your kids are doing evil things, that they have the right to discipline them on-the-spot (a bit) and let you know so corrective actions can take place. TELL your kids the importance of being quiet and sitting still and HAVE your kids learn through PBS shows or educational television. Have them ask difficult questions and SHOW them where and how to find out and get several answers and make the best choice on their own. And.. most of all.. SPANK them sometimes if they deserve it.

Trayvon had actually stolen the Skittles according to the shop-keep, but that wasn't mentioned in the case as it would bias.

Note* This is towards no one in particular. Also, if they're over 11 you really can't discipline them in the same way, this is more geared towards under 11 years old. After that, you're on your own. Maybe use a TASER, I dunno.

I wonder what Bettie's "big mistake" was? Tsk. tsk.

So are you as a parent doing anything wrong? Probably not. Some are obviously so, the one's that aren't paying attention to their children's upbringing. I know a good portion try to do the right thing. Just remember that a little discipline goes a long way. Now about those trophies for everything...

Bettie considering trying to be a good girl instead.

OUT!

Monday, April 21, 2014

Whale Petting Simulator and Goat Simulator

Dead whale on the moon sent passionately by Mexican Space Command due to a ventriloquistic prank on SouthPark

I noticed a rather interesting game called "Whale Petting Simulator 2014" and I made a few comments to great delight on YouTube. Here's the video attached below and the comments, and I added links to click in various places for this blog to enjoy..:

Mike Cronis

2 weeks ago

I got very upset with this game because there was no sub-menu to select different whales, and that fact is distracted by the included mini-game "Fence Jumping Simulator" which could easily be a stand-alone game.

Jorendo

I heard there is gonna be DLC for this one, including more whales and two new fences. It's called the epic blowhole pack.

Mike Cronis

1 week ago

I'm looking forward to extended content as an Expansion Pack: Epic Blowhole Pack, but the fences distract from the actual "whale petting". The fences should be its own game! I keep getting distracted by that fence when I should be focusing on the main quest, "whale petting".

Jorendo

1 week ago

Yeah i see your point, sure when they see how much money this game makes the 2015 edition will have them seperate so they can earn twice as much!

Mike Cronis

1 week ago

I'm sick of this company releasing a new "Whale Petting Simulator" every year, then in June releasing an Expansion Pack or Special Edition to maintain the hype. I remember the first one in 1981, it was all ASCII art and MIDI and there WAS NO FENCE! Sorry, I'm a purist.

Jorendo

1 week ago

I liked the 1988 version better. Finally mouse support. The keyboard felt a bit stiff, didn't really feel like i was there you know. But with the mouse it was like you really had your arm in there.

Admitting, the NES version was the best where you could use the powerglove to really pet the whale.

Mike Cronis

1 week ago

I'd have to agree with you on the mouse and the Special Edition Virtual Reality Deluxe Limited Edition Helmet 360 really captured a lot of the action but I secretly preferred the Odyssey 2 Master Strategy version in 1983 with the Voice module, though not as neo as the Fairchild Channel F and Vectrex emulator prototypes.

Jorendo

1 week ago

I was born in 1983 and the bastards didn't made a baby edition so its before my time. My first version was Whale patting simulator 87, kindergarden edition. It had brighter collors and was educational as it learned you how to pat a actual whale.

Mike Cronis

1 week ago

I wish the Whale Petting Simulator incorporated the Baby Edition Trainer from 1987. The learning curve is too steep and a lot of "mis-pets" are happening, resulting in less efficient whale petting. I've thoroughly explored the Baby Edition and the color palate, though distracting at first, make for some fine whale-petting and there was no distracting "Fence" mini-game. Expansion Packs for the Deluxe Mozart-Learning Edition included in the 1987 version were all of Mozart's music in MIDI, a verbal tutorial by George Takei, and a "trophy" system for various petting victories.

Jorendo

1 week ago

Ah yeah the classic George Takei verbal tutorial. Who can forget the "O my" each time you patted the whale. Real classic that was. But i heard Takei began to ask to much money now that he was famous for his performance in Whale Simulator. For 1988 they took some minor rather unknown actor, someone called Morgan Freeman. Needless to say his performance was terrible.

I hope they gonna release a HD version of the Baby Edition (and keep the midi's in place) or at least release it on GOG so i can play it on a modern computer.

stanburdman

1 week ago

I enjoyed the actual whale voice-overs. They were of very poor, 8-bit quality but they had a charm that is just unsurpassed. "Stay a while and pet me."

Mike Cronis

1 week ago

Yes, very similar to Impossible Mission's "Stay a while.. stay FOREVER!" I remember when Atari tried to do a cassette-system-based version. It was massive and had to be shipped by freight, and it used a propane generator to run it, and liquid nitrogen to cool-off the cart once you got close to the whale itself. Kids take for granted the evolution of Whale Petting Simulator 2014 but it's come a long way. Currently, the PS4 version is in development-hell because it's being done by the guys that did Grand Turismo. They hype is just too much. I expect the 2015 version to not come out on-time for Christmas.

Jorendo

1 week ago

Atleast its not done by Gearbox.....they would show a awesome press demo with super amazing graphics, a great AI and hand control. Just to release a butt ugly game that come no where near the graphics the screenshots, trialers and the press demo been showing off. And they would have replaced the Whale for some corporation guy. Also the hand would be coming in DLC knowing those bastards.

I also enjoyed "Goat Simulator" for your delight. Rather interesting things happen. Enjoy and out.