Fish Tank looks interesting... I'll probably print it out on card stock tomorrow for future play.

John Walker Lindh: "Ooops!" His lawyers are now painting his joining the Taliban and fighting against American forces after 9/11 as a "youthful indiscretion." Apparently his actions against the U.S. were limited to leaving rotten eggs in a general's mailbox and TPing an army command post.

It's Labor Day... why does my brain have that dopey bit of "no white pants" trivia in it? Didn't someone say that the rule no longer applies? I do know that Labor Day is the unofficial last day of summer...we can look forward to more cool days ahead, and comfortable Autumn times quite soon. Soft rains again this morning, soothing and blissful.

Here's a breakdown of those creepy Jimmy-Neutron french fries I saw a little while back -

Heinz has unleashed a new series of multi-hued, potato-based flavor treats:

They're called Ore-Ida(R) Funky Fries(TM), and they're the wildest, wackiest, most fun frozen food on the market today. Featuring five funky varieties such as cinnamon and sugar, cocoa and even a blue variety, new Funky Fries are the most radical thing to hit french fries since ketchup itself...

• Cinna-Stiks(TM), cinnamon and sugar potatoes, perfect for breakfast, snack time or any time


• Cocoa Crispers(TM), cocoa-y potatoes, designed for kids with a sweet tooth


• Kool Blue(TM), crispy, seasoned potatoes with a radical blue color that are sure to light up traditional french fries


• Crunchy Rings(TM), cylindrical potatoes that crunch as they delight


• Sour Cream & Jive(TM), crispy potatoes seasoned with just the right amount of sour cream and chive flavoring

Honestly, only the last sounds even remotely appetizing to me. Blue food is just pesky.

Old Maid was invented as a tax loophole?

The treasury department recently ruled that packs of cards known as "old maid," "authors" and similar card games which are played with cards other than the regular pasteboards used in duplicate whist, euchre and occasionally seven up and poker are not subject to the 2 cent duty. Accordingly some wise manufacturer has issued and "old maid" pack. It consists of a euchre deck, with the addition of a card bearing the visage of a sour looking elderly female, supposed to be the old maid. It merely takes the place of the joker and can be used in the game or not, as the players please.

Minnetonka News, December 14, 1894

Time for my morning three... back later, dear journal.

Just installed Debian on Big Brain to go along with Windows 2000.... it runs very cleanly, and will allow for more web-tests. I don't have a static address to attach scottobear.com to, but I'll be able to run a little gnu mailman and manage to fool around with the tech side of it when the urge hits me. I've had too many irons in the fire lately, and that's going to change... I've got it worked out now, and I won't feel guilty about not having perfected the thirty-hour day.

since I'm still getting into the swing of things, I'm only using packages considered stable, rather than testing or unstable.

What prompted this? Cleaning up my closet and finding a few of my Machine Man comics. (I suspect that he runs on GNU)

I wonder... It's nearly a year after the WTC tragedy, and I've not heard a single ghost story regarding it. Violent death and unfinished business is there... I wonder why no tales? No supernatural stories of thousands of revenants pursuing and exacting vengeance against those that took them from the physical world.

Pedestrian troubles at the beach... I hope it does mean bicycles are allowed, too. (even though as far as I know, and the dictionary agrees... Pedestrian means travel on foot as a walker... not a foot-powered device.)

Oh, man... I'm guilty of a bunch of red flags...Specifically #2 (depending on the definition of large), #3, possibly #4 (I refuse to give radio shack or anyone my phone number, for spam reasons), #5 (see #4), #6... isn't that an impulse buy?, #8... I have a good job, but take the bus.., #14...encryption and pgp, #20 is really the best way, anyhow, #23... our mail shop ...yike, #25 pod, #33... I like Lego and my digi-cam, palm pilot, and 'pooter, #37... we do have masons and Kiwanis where I work, plus, we have an assortment of fanatics, depending on how you define that.

#39... I work until after dark... and I really dig the term "under black of night"... Ninjas!

Ack... bounceout for the palm.... I thought palm bejeweled was evil. See also runes and asteria... not to mention the version of newton's nightmare that I revised for the palm. (no relation to this one) and atum.

Random Scotto factoids - I have *never* lost a sock in the line of laundry duty. When I worked at the bookstore, and vacuumed up in the morning, I could get the entire morning crew to sing with me. Two or three girls (or falsetto boys) would do ewww.... ahhh-awh ah-ahh, while one guy would do the baseline. Usually Adrian, if he was in. "doom-doom doom"

Meanwhile, I would run the vacuum over the carpet, and sing: (the kids would chime in at the Underdog Chorus... italicized.)

There's no need to fear! Underdog is here!

when criminals in this world appear
and break the laws that they should fear
and frighten all who see or hear
the cry goes up both far and near
for Underdog! Underdog! Underdog! Underdog!

speed of lightning, roar of thunder
fighting all who rob or plunder
Underdog. Underdog!

when in this world the headlines read
of those whose hearts are filled with greed
who rob and steal from those who need
to right this wrong with blinding speed
goes Underdog! Underdog! Underdog! Underdog!

speed of lightning, roar of thunder
fighting all who rob or plunder
Underdog. Underdog!

It would make my whole day.