Wow, the trip we took this summer really filled in my map.....If we had taken I-94 instead of I-90, we would have driven through ND too....

Interestingly, I've been within 5 miles of two of the states I have not visited (MS and NH), and really, the only time I was in AL was in the Birmingham airport on the way home from New Orleans once.



create your own personalized map of the USA

Sweeet. Planning on going to MI for a conference in May, and I guess I'll have to do a tour of the Northeast sometime soon....
h/t Gay Patriot

In case you're interested how most of the map gets filled out, various major trips are included below the fold... more...

Posted by: caltechgirl at 03:25 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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I wanna see the rest of the Alito Hearings in Frank J's world:

A large gray thing hit Biden in the face and knocked him to the ground.

"We agreed that Alito was not allowed to bring any rocks to these hearings!" Schumer exclaimed.

"That was a chunk of concrete!" Alito said defensively.

"It's the same thing!"

"Oh yeah?" Alito scoffed. "If a chunk of concrete is a rock, tell me whether it's igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic?"

"He's getting geological on your ass!" Bush laughed. "No wonder people call him and his friends 'wiseguys.'"

Posted by: caltechgirl at 12:06 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Not much going on with me today.  Half listening to the Alito confirmation hearing, and he's dancing around the senators quite nicely.  Go Sam!

So here's what's up with the rest of the bloggy-web:

AWTM is without blog access as her computers have died.  Not to worry, she's got plenty of help (Mwahahahahahahahhha!  Look out, Mom!)....

SGT Hook has a story you won't see in the MSM: Iraqi troops on patrol caused some terrorist scumbag kidnappers to flee, and the French hostage they were holding ran to safety at a checkpoint manned by US soldiers.

Trajectory over at TBX reports on some interesting new methods in contraception for deer...

Tammi pays off her bet at last weekend's FritzFest. Check out the dude in the kilt!

Dash has an excellent way to avoid those long Post Office lines this week.

Too bad Anita hasn't seen it.....

Dave has some thoughts on the new Ecosystem system

Lair has an idea for solving Houston's crime problem

Tolkien Geek is almost done.  Follow along with ROTK Bk 5, Ch9

Got a problem with Wet Foot/Dry Foot?  email Homeland Security and tell them why it's a pile of crap.  Babalu already has.

Jay needs your help deciding on a gadget for mobile email etc.

Ith is home from vacation, and Jen and Beau have returned from their honeymoon.  Nice pictures!

Gordon has the story of an early entrant in this year's Darwin Awards.

That's enough for now, don'tcha think? Go on. Read.

Posted by: caltechgirl at 03:13 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Like your banner/background...haven't been around in awhile so I just saw it.

Posted by: Sissy at January 10, 2006 06:38 PM (gCk3+)

2 You've been busy. Those are good - I really like the one on deer birth control. It would be nice if we could do something about the overpopulation of left wingers, too. Is sterilization too harsh? I don't think the abortion and condoms are working.

Posted by: Dash at January 11, 2006 10:53 AM (zhc13)

3 neither is the poor hygiene

Posted by: caltechgirl at January 11, 2006 10:58 AM (/vgMZ)

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CBS released the information on the new crop of Survivors who will return to Panama for the 12th season of the hit reality show (that I am evidently obsessed with...)

Seems as if this time, those voted out will be sent off to "exile island" to fend for themselves during the rest of the run of the show.  As a twist (since it worked so well last season, right Gary??) an immunity idol will be hidden on Exile Island, and any of the voted-out players who finds it may return to the game.

That's kinda dumb.

Anyway, click here for the info and bios of the Season 12 castaways.

Posted by: caltechgirl at 02:35 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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At least, according to this lovely lady (from whom I stoleborrowed this graphic).

Posted by: caltechgirl at 02:14 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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Methinks Ol' Ted should just pack it in while he's ahead.  Between his opening statements this morning, this misrememberation (See, Dubya isn't the only one!) and this, he's about lost it, I think:

"Meet the latest children's author, Sen. Ted Kennedy, and his Portuguese Water Dog, Splash, his co-protagonist in "My Senator and Me: A Dogs-Eye View of Washington, D.C."

Scholastic Inc. will release the book in May."

Posted by: caltechgirl at 01:44 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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In the National Review, Michael Ledeen sends:

"...according to Iranians I trust, Osama bin Laden finally departed this world in mid-December. The al Qaeda leader died of kidney failure and was buried in Iran, where he had spent most of his time since the destruction of al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The Iranians who reported this note that this year's message in conjunction with the Muslim Haj came from his number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, for the first time."

Veddy Interesting, but perhaps another instance of crying wolf? I won't believe it until I see the DNA results from his corpse.

h/t Greyhawk and Not Dale Gribble

Posted by: caltechgirl at 01:20 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The California Mafia is back from blogging hiatus!

As is He Who Is Not Dale Gribble!

Welcome back both of you!

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WaPo's Dana Milbank notes this scholarly gem from Massachussetts' favorite drunken driver:

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), hosting a morning roundtable with reporters, had nothing nice to say about Alito. "We here in the United States are not going to stand for monarchial tyranny," he said, protesting Alito's support for "unfettered, unlimited power of the executive." He faulted Alito for belonging to a group that was "anti-black and also anti-women." Kennedy wondered if "the average person is going to be able to get a fair shake" under Alito.

Briefly, Kennedy rewrote the outcome of the 1964 election. "This nominee was influenced by the Goldwater presidency," he said. "The Goldwater battles of those times were the battles against the civil rights laws." Only then did Kennedy acknowledge that "Judge Alito at that time was 14 years old."

Posted by: caltechgirl at 12:55 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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This is an interesting little Meme, especially as folks of different ages have different memories of the same events....

Stolen from Ken, who in turn took it from Wunderkraut

Where Were You, What Were You Doing And How Did You Feel WhenÂ…:

You found out about 9/11
The start of the FIRST Gulf War - When we began combat operations.
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded
The Space Shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry
Reagan was shot
John Lennon was shot
The Pope was shot
Berlin Wall came down
President Clinton was acquitted of impeachment
Election night 2000
When Kennedy was shot (for my more mature readers)

My answers in the extended.... more...

Posted by: caltechgirl at 12:12 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Well, more like PostGame blogmeet.

This lovely lady and her husband and some friends were parked outside of our house during the game, and they were nice enough to drop in and say hello after the game.  Then we all went out and had some food since they had been at the stadium all day.

Despite differences in allegiance, a good time was had by all and I was pleased to see so many SC fans congratulate the UT fans on their win.  In fact, the folks at the next table were the family and friends of the UT placekicker.  Not a great night for him, but his mom was so happy.

They had an early flight, so I hope they're well on their way back home.

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So Margi's crazy in the head and she thought that not only could she tag me with this silly meme, but that her pregnant ass could outrun me!

So, here we go, 5 weird things about me:
1.  I love acting like an idiot.  If you read this blog, you know that I love to use colloquialisms and Southern language (like ain't) and I'm a closet valley girl.  Like totally.  Dude.  I think it tends to disarm people.  When people (even my friends) hear I have a PhD, they tend to back off.  When they find out that I'm a goofball, it thaws them out.

2.  I have this OCD thing about even numbers.  Like when I eat M&Ms or Reese's Pieces, I have to eat them two at a time, both of the same color.  And yes, sometimes one goes on either side of my mouth.  When I was a kid, I used to be like this with everything, but I've managed to get it down to candy, for the most part.  I also count things compulsively.

3.  I am the remote control queen.  Most people think guys have the flipping itch, but I'm WAY worse than DH with it.  I also yell back to the TV.  Especially during football and hockey, at which point the language level falls to the gutter.

4.  I get really damn impatient with my entertainment.  I hate getting into a book or a movie and then finding it has a crap ending.  I fast forward parts of movies that I consider tiresome or embarassing (to the characters), and I can't stand poorly done situation comedy or pratfalls.  Not there aren't some great comedies and even some fabulous physical comedians, but if it makes me uncomfortable I hit the fast forward button.  It makes me really frigging grumpy.

5.  Ummmm... not sure what else.  I know I'm weirder than this. Huh.  Well, maybe more later when I think of something.

Posted by: caltechgirl at 01:55 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 I can relate to #2 about eating the M&Ms and I'm also a movie and book ending critic.

Posted by: Chris at January 04, 2006 02:36 PM (QgCnE)

2 I'm glad to know I'm not alone in that counting thing. Thanks for playing, hon! *muah*

Posted by: Margi at January 04, 2006 03:30 PM (nwEQH)

3 #2... oh boy, some similarities there! For the longest time I was into adding up numbers (phone numbers, house numbers, #s on signs) & striving for an even sum. I've backed off on that quite a bit, but I do still find myself grouping numbers in my head -- adding, finding patterns, etc. It can be annoying!

Posted by: Marie at January 05, 2006 11:41 AM (ZNESr)

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Best.  Hockey.  Fight.  EVER.

The only thing missing was a Roy/Osgood style goalie throwdown....

h/t The Pirate

Posted by: caltechgirl at 01:14 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Or, how to get paid for being a nerd.  Hollywood producer Kate Coe writes this interesting and informative piece on academic consultants and their role in production.

You might have a named chair at Hallowed Halls U, but on a film set,
status is measured by the size of your budget -- and you don't have
one. With no budget, there's not much reason for the camera operators,
set designers, or props department to take you too seriously. On the
other hand, an adviser does have access to the director and to the
star. (You have access to the writer, too, but writers don't have much
status, as they will be quick to complain.) So work with decorum, be
collegial, and go through channels.

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Your Love Element Is Metal

In love, you inspire and respect your partner. For you, love is all about fusing together for one incredible life experience. You attract others with wit and a bit of flash. Your flirting style is defined by making others want and value you. Greatness and optimism are the cornerstones of your love life. You may let go too easily, but you never get weighed down by your past. You connect best with: Earth Avoid: Fire You and another Metal element: will control and smother each other

Posted by: caltechgirl at 08:34 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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You're A Crazy Drunk

When you drink, you get wrecked - and it ain't pretty.

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Happy 2nd Wedding Anniversary to my Blogparents, Jay and Deb of Accidental Verbosity!!
Jay says,

"Two years have seemed like no time and a lifetime.  It's easy to imagine looking back from thirty years out and saying "has it really been that long? And was what came before really as long or longer?""

Somehow I think that's exactly why it's right, and exactly how it works.

Congratulations you two crazy kids, on finding your soulmate and being smart enough to snap them up, no matter how insane and improbable the circumstances were!

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As you requested, Kelley, sweets.

So excited for you and Pete and Spidey and numbah one son!

Happy New Year indeed!

Posted by: caltechgirl at 04:37 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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1 Thanks, CTG! I'm sure I'll be very excited about it...when the shock wears off. Happy New Year to you and yours!

Posted by: Kelley at January 01, 2006 05:48 PM (pVa1L)

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For Vodkapundit Stephen Green and his wife Melissa, on the birth of their son, Preston Davis.

Just adorable

Posted by: caltechgirl at 10:08 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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An oldie but a goodie, Foamy the Squirrel and the War on Christmas.  NSFW unless you have headphones....

Posted by: caltechgirl at 11:33 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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