Big-American-pillow-fight! (Robot dancing?!)

This is just sweet. Chicago celebrated International Pillow Fight Day (who knew there WAS one?) on March 22. This photographer got some great shots.

I am SO marking my calendar for 2009. It's on!

Don't talk back to Darth Vader, cuz he'll get ya

This...is adorable.



I think I'll call him "Obi-Kenobi" from now on.

Escape from New York

I'm back home after spending a fun weekend in New York City with my kung fu family as we celebrated our school and honored our teachers.

There's not much I yet have to share in terms of pictures and movies, but such are forthcoming. Much was documented, and I will share with you what is eventually shared with me. This will include, if possible, a video of me demonstrating a form on stage during the dinner celebration. I know it was recorded, but getting it online might prove a technological challenge.

Regardless, it's important to note that the trip was quite enjoyable and our gathering very worthwhile. Our school has an amazing sense of camaraderie, and that was evident in full during our travels through Times Square, Little Italy and Chinatown. We are a family, and it's fun to travel with family.

The trip's highlight was a large banquet Saturday evening, during which we celebrated the anniversary of our school's founding and recognized our top teachers and students. Three of my classmates won awards for their spirit, loyalty and overall performance, and our teacher was repeatedly honored. Also receiving accolades was our teacher's teacher, a great man whose eyes showed the enjoyment his quiet demeanor tried to conceal.

I could describe at length the weekend, including the captivating lion dancing we saw or terrible performer we heard while waiting for our pizza, but I realize there's only so much I can type before your eyes glaze over. So knowing that I had a blast, I'll simply leave you with the humorous image of this advertisement we saw for the upcoming "Star Wars" marathon on Spike TV.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you Think Lynseners again in May, if not sooner.

Super Smackdown: The Winner

Spider-Man for the win!

Everybody's favorite wall-crawler is the Super Smackdown champion! The finally vote tally shows he defeated Sephiroth, 6-0, after toppling Optimus Prime, Luke Skywalker and The Flash. It was an impressive streak and one that will set the standard for, ahem, any future Smackdowns...

Thank you to everybody who voted in this month-long contest. I hope you had as much fun participating as Annie and I had putting it together and reading your votes. If you'd like us to run a similar contest in the future, let us know and we'll see what we can do.

But until next time, true believers, I leave you with this song of victory.

Exiting limbo

We FINALLY heard from the CONvergence hotel guy and were assured we would have a room at the Sheraton (the primary hotel for CONvergence), and that we'd be receiving an e-mail in the next two weeks with a confirmation number, which we could use to call the hotel and put down our credit card to lock in our room assignment.

So we're exiting limbo, but until I actually put my credit card down with the hotel, I'm not going to feel 100 percent secure about this.

Seeing as we have to buy plane tickets and whatnot, it sure would be nice if they could have made these arrangements in stone closer to when we registered...over a month ago.

I make pretty flowers.

I got to experience a new thing at KaBOOM! today (my two-month anniversary, not that I'm keeping track): Culture Captain Events!

These happen once a month. Every month, each office has a designated "culture captain" who picks a fun activity for all the staff to do. We had a great event today where we made spring-themed dioramas (or "spring bling" as they called it!). We got all kinds of fun supplies to use: colorful pipe cleaners, craft foam, flower cutouts, colored paper, puff balls, wooden eggs, paint, pinwheels, and more. I had a blast creating my pretty flower/pinwheel diorama, pictured here (and matted in classic KaBOOM! purple and orange, thanks to Picnik.com.

I love my job.

Quirky beauty

Every now and then a video crosses my desk that's so quirky, so fascinating, so beautiful in its own crazy way, that I feel compelled to share it with you all.



The video, with a runtime of 4:32 minutes, looks like it escaped from the minds of Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. I hope it captivates you as much as it did me. Enjoy, and happy weekend.

Super Smackdown: Lightning Round 4

Less we become too embroiled in the final battle that's raging, Super Smackdown offers today one last diversion for your amusement.

This fight, unlike the others conducted this week, has no impact on the overall contest and is being done simply for fun. So with that in mind, consider who might win in an all-out brawl between...

Tick vs. Unicron vs. Gazoo

The Blue Titan of Justice is nigh invulnerable. The Chaos Bringer consumes entire planets. And the Great Gazoo has reality-warping powers and doomsday devices. So who wins? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down IV

Yet even more random observations.

Thumbs Up to second chances: I just read that my favorite new television show, "The Big Bang Theory," is getting a second season! It's good to know the show's nerdy shenanigans will continue.

Thumbs Down to tax woes: Montgomery County, you're a great place to live, but you really have to get your spending under control. Your 3.2 percent local income tax is a killer.

Thumbs Up to mercy killings: It appears there will be no third "Fantastic Four" film. I love the comics and tried my best to enjoy the movies, but let's be honest. They're not that great and don't deserve a sequel.

Thumbs Down to boring updates: Nintendo's virtual console, which lets you download classic games for the Wii, hasn't uploaded anything worth buying for weeks now. What gives?

Super Smackdown: THE FINAL BATTLE!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, random web surfers and longtime readers, it's time for the championship match on Super Smackdown!

Our top hero is the man who overcame Optimus Prime; the man who lambasted Luke Skywalker; the man who toppled The Flash. With great power, Spider-Man has overcome much in this tournament and stands ready to tackle his final challenge. His opponent is the man who guffawed at Ganondorf; the man who broke the Borg; the man who sliced through Saruman. But can Sephiroth, the villain who very nearly destroyed a world, triumph over everybody's favorite wall crawler?

You be the judge! Cast your ballot (and share your rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 30.

Ten years of "Troops"

It's hard to believe 10 years have passed since "Troops" hit the web. I can still remember downloading the short film in my college dorm room.

If you aren't familiar with this hysterical "Star Wars" themed parody of the notorious "Cops" television shows, you should check it out. It's a great 10-minute diversion and an impressive showing of what a few guys with some real skill, dedication and creativity can achieve.

Besides, any production with a cameo by Tom Servo is fine by me.

Super Smackdown: Final Four

Just a reminder that today is the last day to vote in Super Smackdown's version of the Final Four.

Ballots still can be cast in Spider-Man vs. The Flash and Saruman vs. Sephiroth. With the fate of... Umm... Something... Hanging in the balance, be sure to say your piece before polls close! Because, you know, you'd regret it if you missed your chance to... Umm... Contribue to the chaotic clobberings!

Ah, heck. Who am I kidding? Just have some fun and vote!

An Open Love Letter to Piratz Tavern and Pirates for Sail

Dear Piratz Tavern and Pirates for Sail (AKA the Drunken Ferret T'Barnacle Choir),

I've never been one for the bar or club scene. It's usually full of either people much younger than I, or the kind of people I hated in high school, and I always feel awkward, like I don't belong. Yet ironically, I've always loved the Renaissance Festival for its place-out-of-time nature. Especially since moving to Washington, which can be best described as "hyper-kinetic-political" in atmosphere, it's fun (and for me, necessary) to occasionally lose yourself in another culture, another time. Piratz Tavern in Silver Spring and Pirates for Sail, its resident choir, give me that transporting experience any time I wish. What can I say, sometimes I feel most at home when I'm diving into a plate of Caribbean fare, sipping grog, and shouting "MACINTYRE!" with a group of friends, while surrounded by people dressed in period garb.

I got that wonderful homey experience on Saturday, when Josh and I, along with seven of our friends, joined the party to celebrate the inaugural CD release for Pirates for Sail at Piratz Tavern.

Piratz Tavern, you provided us with the usual delicious and reasonably-priced food and drink, with exceptional service from the adorable and sassy Poppet. Not only that, you were more than accommodating to our party, whose numbers kept changing between the original reservation and the day itself, and who lingered long after the food and drink were gone. Thank you. And some of your employees were good enough to favor us with a couple of songs when the Pirates for Sail wandered to other tables. We got a fantastic rendition of "The Scotsman" from One Eye'd Mike and Poppet, and a beautiful ballad from Dallas the bartender. And as usual, the atmosphere was great and welcoming to our geeky crew, who all had a blast!

Pirates for Sail, you provided us with one of your best performances to date, and the opportunity to buy your fantastic new CD, which I can't stop listening to this week! I give you mad props for including so much hilarious banter within the songs. I laughed out loud the first time I heard the Last Mate mutter, "I think we needed more cowbell" at the end of "A Drop of Nelson's Blood." There are also several ballads on the album, which are sweet and beautifully done. I also find it awesome that the group included One Eye'd Mike singing "The Scotsman" on the album (admittedly, nobody sings it better!). And I can forgive the fact that my favorite song, "Charlie Mops," was not included in the playlist, since the CD has given me a new second favorite in the hilarious "All Fo Me Grog." Rest assured I'll be requesting that one next time I visit!

(And maybe one of these days I'll actually figure out who "MacIntyre" was, and why people were shouting his name in that bar that was on fire.)

Love,
Annie

Correction: Thanks to The Last Mate for correcting me in the comments: "One-Eyed Mike, Poppet and Dallas are all members of the Ferrets and The T'Barnacle choir. One-Eye is one of the (almost) founding members and lost his eye in our service. They work at the Tavern as well - they have to make money somehwere..." Apologies to Mike, Poppet and Dallas - since y'all are usually working so hard at waiting tables and whatnot most of the time I'm at Piratz, I didn't know you were official members of the choir! My bad.

Also, check out the comments for some really interesting history on the song MacIntyre, courtesy of Tony and The Last Mate. (Thanks, guys!)

Need a cool t-shirt?

Some fun ones I've run across lately...click each design to learn more.

Costs and benefits

It's sleek. It's sophisticated. And it's short on good games.

I speak, of course, of Sony's PlayStation Portable, the handheld gaming system that hit stores three years ago this week. Initially seen as Goliath to the David that is the Nintendo DS, the PSP fumbled the battle for portable gaming dominance. Sony now holds 32 percent of the market, while the DS has garnered 68 percent.

But that could soon change. Today marks the release of a game that's arguably the PSP's last best chance to regain its footing. "Crisis Core," a prequel to the stellar "Final Fantasy VII," did great things for the PSP when it released in Japan, and hopes are high that such success can be repeated in America.

It could happen. Personally, I'm taking a new interest in the system because of "Crisis Core." It brings to four the number of PSP games that I'd like to play. The question now is whether it might be worth buying a $170 system to play "Crisis Core," "Lumines," "Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops," and "LocoRoco."

Thoughts?

Super Smackdown: Round 3, Day 2

Today on Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures, we've got the best of the best. Or rather, the worst of the worst.

The time has come to choose the nastiest villain to battle our top hero. After tallying the votes -- and realizing that Skeletor needs a new public relations agent -- our final pairing of villains is as follows:

Saruman vs. Sephiroth

Both of the characters are known for their devious methods. Both scored major victories in their day. And both, coincidentally enough, have white hair. But in this battle, only one can survive. Will it be the scourge of Middle-earth or the greatest threat Gaia ever faced? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 26.

In limbo

You might recall that Annie and I are quite enthused about our upcoming trip to CONvergence in Minneapolis. We've been planning the trip for months and it's turned into our major summer vacation.

But things aren't coming together as smoothly as we'd expected. One month after we requested a hotel room at the convention site, we've not yet received confirmation that we have a place to stay. We're in limbo. And we don't like it.

We've tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to contact the convention organizers. These volunteers are undoubtedly very busy juggling a host of demands -- I helped plan a wedding, after all, so I can sympathize -- but I don't understand why we can't at least be told the process is ongoing and nothing's yet confirmed.

In desperation, I tried calling the convention hotel directly and was told by the manager there that they knew nothing more than I. They're just as anxious as Annie and I for the reservation lists, so they can confirm bookings and complete the process. But for some reason, things are taking longer this year. And it's frustrating everyone.

Of course, Annie and I are still planning to go. I mean, we can't miss a chance to party with friends we haven't seen in years, and meet icons like Marv Wolfman, Peter Mayhew, and Trace Beaulieu. But it sure would be nice to know where we're sleeping.

Super Smackdown: Round 3, Day 1

We're nearing the end of Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures.

The time has come to choose the mightiest hero to battle our top villain. After tallying the votes -- and graciously eliminating my own ballots to remedy ties -- our final pairing of heroes is as follows:

Spider-Man vs. The Flash

It's everybody's favorite web slinger against the fastest man alive. I'm not sure if this battle has ever played out in comics, but it's going to be resolved here and now. So who wins? Spider-Man or the Flash? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 26.

Something amusing for Easter

The winners, finalists, etc. from the Washington Post's 2nd Annual Peep Diorama contest.

Super Smackdown: Lightning Round 3

It's time for yet another bonus battle on Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures.

Today's fight, unlike the others conducted this week, has no impact on the overall contest and is being done simply for fun. So with that in mind, consider who might win in what is certain to be a crazy fight between...

Mr. Mxyzptlk vs. The Great Gazoo

Two interdimensional tricksters enter the ring, but only one leaves. Is it Mxyzptlk, the regular bane of Superman? Or Gazoo, the alien acquaintance of Fred Flintstone? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments.

And don't forget to vote in this week's marquee battles: Spider-Man v. Luke Skywalker, The Flash v. Malcolm Reynolds, Skeletor v. Saurman, and Borg v. Sephiroth. Voting for these fights concludes March 22.

Note: The first person who says they're too young to know The Great Gazoo gets slapped. I'm looking at you, Matt.

Now you know

It was only a matter of time until plot details from the upcoming "G.I. Joe" movie hit the web. And that time has come.

Thanks to certain sources, we now know much more about the film, including which G.I. Joe team member dies, whether Destro wears his famous mask and what the deal is with Cobra Commander. So without further ado, here are the spoiler-filled highlights:

• Cobra Commander, as previously noted, is the boyhood friend of Duke, and even goes so far as to serve as best man at Duke's wedding to the woman who will later become the Baroness. Incidentally, this woman is the sister of Cobra Commander.

• Severely injured during his involvement with a G.I. Joe mission gone awry, the man who becomes Cobra Commander is presumed dead. He later returns, wearing a mask to aid his breathing, as a cohort of Destro.

• Destro uses nanomite technology throughout the film to various devious ends. After his face is burned near the movie's end, he uses the technology on himself, and the nanomites coalesce to form his familiar iron mask.

• At least one G.I. Joe team member dies and one is paralyzed. Cover Girl dies at the hands of Storm Shadow, impailed on his sword. Storm Shadow also stabs Hawk in the gut and paralyzes him.

• Master of disguise Zartan is revealed at the movie's end as having taken the place of the U.S. President, thus setting the stage for a sequel.

• Other tidbits of note: Duke gets captured by the villains. Desro's base is located beneath the polar ice caps. Destro orchestrates the toppling of the Eiffel Tower. Oh, and that picture above? That's the actual costume for Snake Eyes.

These revelations have more hits than misses and give me more hope for the film. Storm Shadow is the clear and present danger he should be, the premise for the sequel is quite promising, and I couldn't be happier about Snake Eyes. But I'm still not convinced that the filmmakers are on the right path with Cobra Commander. And why must the Baroness be his sister?

Let's hope for the best as we draw ever closer to Aug. 7, 2009.

Super Smackdown: Round 2, Day 4

Try not to let your head asplode today on Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures.

Our battles have become more intense now that we're pitting previous winners against each other. Take a look at yesterday's battle, then cast your vote in today's pairing, which would be laughable if it weren't so boggling. Ready? Fight!

Borg vs. Sephiroth

Just picture it: A few Borg cubes hover over Gaia. The first stike team beams down to the Shinra Electric Power Company in Midgar. As they work to assimilate the technology, they are confronted by Sephiroth. "One-Winged Angel" starts to play and... What happens next? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 22.

I'm frakking impatient

It's been 51 weeks since the last episode of "Battlestar Galactica" aired -- not that I'm counting -- and I'm frakking impatient for the series to resume.

The show returns to the Sci Fi Channel on April 4 with an episode entitled "He That Believeth In Me," a presumed reference to scripture and possible clue as to just how confusing and complex this final season might be. Is hothead pilot Starbuck the me? Is faithless officer Apollo the he? What could his belief in her yield?

And how problematic could his faith prove when we consider a pronouncement made earlier in the series? Remember, we've been told that Starbuck would "lead the human race to its end," become "the herald of the apocalypse, the harbinger of death" and "they must not follow her."

Still, the confusion and complexity is what makes the show so great. "Battlestar Galactica," for all its faults, is nothing if not ambitious. And it doubtless will give us one wild ride as it starts to wrap up a storyline that began in 2003.

Now if we could finally start that frakking ride, I'd be happy. Two weeks and counting...

"I have a very bad feeling about this"

Sometimes news of the forthcoming live-action "Star Wars" television show is encouraging. Other times it's disconcerting.

I was initially excited to learn the show would take place during the 20-year gap between "Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope," an era filled with potential. And it got even better when it was revealed that my favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett, would figure into the equation as a recurring if not featured character.

But more recent revelations have been less than thrilling. The show, apparently conceived as "Deadwood meets The Sopranos," will "follow the underworld of the Star Wars universe" and feature "a crime family." Also, it will have nothing to do with the Skywalker family and will focus on "new characters." Because we know how well that's worked for the franchise.

To add insult to injury, seasons could run as short as 12 episodes and be seen only on a premium-tier network, such as HBO or Showtime.

Fanboy that I am, I'll probably check out the show when it debuts next year. But as Luke once said, "I have a very bad feeling about this."

Super Smackdown: Round 2, Day 3

The combat heats up today on Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures.

Our battles have become more intense now that we're pitting previous winners against each other. Take a look at yesterday's battle, then cast your vote in today's pairing, which could be our feistiest yet. Ready? Fight!

Skeletor vs. Saurman

One owes his life to the ruthless Hordak. The other serves the mighty Sauron. So what happens when you sick a sword-wielding sorcerer on the first Istari? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 22.

Food for thought

Discuss.

"Things are going to be OK"

I miss OK Soda. I miss it so much that I drank one this weekend.

OK Soda, a carbonated citric drink from the Coca-Cola Company, disappeared from stores in 1995. A failed experiment, the soda never achieved national distribution. It was test marketed in Minneapolis, though, and that's how it came to my attention 13 years ago.

Enticed by its unusual marketing campaign -- my favorite line was "What's the point of OK? Well, what's the point of anything?" -- I couldn't help but sample the drink. Having only known until that point the distinct soda flavors of Coke, 7 Up and the like, the fruity cola flavoring of OK Soda was something my taste buds welcomed.

But that enjoyment was short lived. Mere months after Coca-Cola debuted OK Soda, the company cancelled the drink due to poor sales. Evidently, the product's unusual marketing campaign that included phrases that were strikingly honest ("There is no real secret to feeling OK") and humble ("Please wake up every morning knowing that things are going to be OK") didn't do the trick.

So in early 1995, I scrambled to purchase what little I could still find of the drink. I've rationed out my small stash since then, last sharing a can with Annie to celebrate our marriage in 2003. My decision to consume another this weekend to belatedly celebrate my sash win leaves me with just one remaining can.

I don't know what will one day trigger me to consume that final can. A birthday? An anniversary? A personal victory? A professional achievement? Who's to say. But I take heart in knowing that even after that last can is gone, things will still be OK.

Super Smackdown: Round 2, Day 2

It's time for another matchup on Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures.

Our battles have become more intense now that we're pitting previous winners against each other. Take a look at yesterday's battle, then cast your vote in today's fight, where a speedy superhero takes on a skilled sharpshooter. Ready? Fight!

The Flash vs. Malcolm Reynolds

He ran circles around Nightcralwer, but might the Flash be outsmarted by Malcolm Reynolds? Or is the space captain outclassed in this round? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 22.

Don’t walk means don’t walk

Here's some free advice to the cane-wielding buffoon who was crossing New Hampshire Avenue and U Street at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Wait your turn.

Pedestrians do not always have the right of way. For example, when the crosswalk sign is displaying its bright red "Don't Walk" icon, pedestrians should not be crossing the road. And they sure as heck have no business shuffling along at a snail's pace and blocking cars that have a green light.

The man who blocked me under these circumstances Saturday didn't take too kindly to my horn blasts. He stopped, turned and glared at me. Cute as this was, the nincompoop was keeping me in the intersection, endangering me and snarling the flow of traffic. So I honked again. And again. And again. This served only to agitate the man, who raised his cane and swung it as though he was about to strike my car.

He eventually moved along, enabling me to proceed and the flow of traffic to resume. I yelled at him and he extended the same kindness to me. But my anger was not hate. It was frustration. He had blatantly ignored the rules of the road. And for the sake of us all, he must obey them.

Super Smackdown: Round 2, Day 1

Welcome to Round 2 of Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures.

Starting today, the competitions are going to become more intense as we pit previous winners against each other. For this matchup, we've got two toy-aisle icons who are known for their perseverance. Ready? Fight!

Spider-Man vs. Luke Skywalker

He survived his battle against Optimus Prime, but can Spider-Man survive combat against a Jedi? It's spider senses versus Force sensitivity in this round. Who will win? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 22.

Driving Us Insane

We went to the Arlington Cinema n' Drafthouse last night to see fellow Minnesotan Maria Bamford perform (glee!). But the place was hard to get to. Like "backup server in Serenity" hard to get to."

Now I preface this by saying that, in general, getting around Washington, D.C. is fairly simple, thanks to a numbered and lettered streets situation. However...there are circles. Circles of Doom. And intersections that make NO FREAKIN' SENSE. Foolishly, I trusted to Google Maps to get us from Silver Spring to the deep, dark depths of Arlington (the opposite side of the D.C. metro area, for those who are unfamiliar). Google Maps decided it would be awesome to send us through some of the most insane intersections imaginable.

For the more visually inclined, this was what the bulk of our journey of pain looked like:



First, we hit Dupont Circle. Been there, done that, it's not rush hour. Still a little crazy because some genius thought it would be great to hide the street signs behind trees, but we pulled it off.

Then, Washington Circle. Now one would think, given that D.C. was largely designed all at once, that Washington Circle would work just like Dupont Circle. Ohhh no. Washington Circle, as it happens, is designed to get you out of the circle as quickly as humanly possible...regardless of where you actually want to go. We enter the circle and are immediately kicked out onto K Street because we failed to do a triple lane change the second we got in.

Joy.

But we manage to work our way back to our destination street with a little help from the atlas we keep in the car.

And then, just when we thought we were in the clear, we hit this insane intersection of six streets, with no obvious street signs whatsoever, and ended up in the Kennedy Center parking lot.

A lengthy consultation with the atlas finally got us back on track and to the Drafthouse. Whew. And thanks to the atlas, I was able to navigate us home in such a way that avoided all those circles entirely.

But, to summarize and quote my colleague Jason...

Google Maps = FAIL!

Explain this to me

Which of the following is the real threat to traditional marriage?

Is it this?


Or might it be this?

Super Smackdown: Lightning Round 2

It's time for another bonus battle on Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures.

Today's fight, unlike the others conducted this week, has no impact on the overall contest and is being done simply for fun. So with that in mind, consider who might win in what is certain to be a stellar fight between...

Galactus vs. Unicron

Can the Devourer of Worlds defeat a planet-sized Transformer? Or will Galactus bite off more than he can chew with Unicron? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments.

And don't forget to vote in this week's marquee battles: Skeletor v. Cobra Commander, Emperor Palpatine v. Saruman, Cylon v. Borg, and Ganondorf v. Sephiroth. Voting for these fights concludes March 15.

Stick a fork in her...

...because she's done. Britney Spears doesn't even appear in her new video, "Break the Ice." Instead, viewers see an anime-style character engaging in some heroic antics, and doing things that Britney herself hasn't done in years.

Like be hot.

Seriously, though, how much further must she fall before we can officially slap the "over" label on her career?

Super Smackdown: Round 1, Day 9

What's the only thing better than a smackdown? A Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures!

If you're just joining the fun, you can learn more about the contest here. And don't forget to vote in yesterday's match between the Borg and Cylons. When you're ready for our next battle, scroll down and cast your vote! Today's contest sends two iconic game villains into the ring. Who will win? Ready? Fight!

Ganondorf vs. Sephiroth

One wants to dominate the world. The other wants to destroy it. So which of these imposing and relentless antagonists will win this match? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 15.

*scrapes jaw off floor*

Anyone want the Gem of Amara (from Buffy/Angel)? It's being sold as part of a charity auction. (Thanks, Whedonesque!)

So that "matter of principle" thing...yeah...

Check out Real Life Comics today.

This water might kill you

Think the water in D.C. is just fine? Think again.

A recent Associated Press investigation found that D.C. tap water is contaminated with six pharmaceuticals (or, if you prefer, drugs) that include ibuprofen and something called monensin, which apparently is an antibiotic typically given to cattle. Also, just for good measure, there's a dash of caffeine in our drinking water, too.

So yeah. I know bottled water is bad for the environment, but if it comes down to the environment versus my health, I'm sorry, but the environment loses.

Super Smackdown: Round 1, Day 8

It's 8:09 a.m. on Super Smackdown, the daily showdown between two pop culture figures, and it's time for another battle to commence.

If you're just joining the fun, you can learn more about the contest here. And don't forget to vote in yesterday's match between Emperor Palpatine and Saruman. When you're ready for our next battle, scroll down and cast your vote! Today's contest is the battle of the 'bots. Ready? Fight!

Borg vs. Cylons

In our most far-reaching battle, consider what might happen if the Borg Collective engaged the Cylons. Would the technologically advanced cyborg soldiers win the day, or might the self-replicating robot drones eventually overwhelm them? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments. Voting for this fight concludes March 15.

"Picnik, Picnik, having fun..."

So the amazing Jason has introduced me to Picnik, a website that lets you upload and edit your photos for free, then either download them back to your computer or publish them on Flickr or what have you.

I *HEART* Picnik. I especially *HEART* it since Jason upgraded his account, and gifted me a free 3-month trial of the full version (which is a mere $24.95 a year, should I wish to upgrade). The full version lets you do lots of fun stuff, like apply effects, borders, and text like I did to the photos below.






Some of the effects even make bad photos look cool. Like the Kung Fu Awesome pic, which was blurry to begin with, now just looks wicked.

But even the freebie version lets you crop, rotate, adjust color andcontrast, and all the basic stuff you'd want to do with Photoshop. But for FREE. Check it out!

(And for those who are curious, the pics of me were taken on a whim as we were about to leave for the Metro DC PFLAG gala Saturday night. The "quizzical" one is a self-portrait.)

Kitty candy

I know this post is only going to interest the nichest of an already niche audience (our readership), but I don't feel too bad about it somehow.

I've got a fun new crochet project! Thanks to Crochet Me, I not only have found a great way to get rid of small bits of cotton yarn leftover from other projects, but I've also learned a new crochet technique (how to crochet a ring without leaving a hole in the middle), AND I'm making great little toys for my friends' pets as well. And as if it couldn't get any better, each one of these suckers takes only about an hour to make.

Some tips to make this pattern better:
1. I've learned that it's too tough to switch yarn colors between the first two rows, so I make the first two rows the same color.
2. The ring technique, while awesome, requires you to REALLY pull the yarn hard. Which, more often than not, breaks the yarn. So I've learned that it's OK to leave just a little bitty loop and then pull it to the inside of the ball with your crochet hook.
3. Use 100% cotton yarn; cats apparently don't like acrylic.
4. Use two colors that contrast each other for maximum cat-happiness.
5. The monk's cord description in the pattern is a bit confusing; check a standard crochet book or other websites for a better explanation.

My awesome friend Emily was the recipient of the first toy I made, and she said she had "never seen her cat so hyper" and called the toy "the best thing ever." Apparently the cat was so crazed over this thing that when she batted it under the bed, she ran at top speed INTO the bed and gave herself a mild concussion. (Poor thing.)

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Garfield Minus Garfield