January 20, 2008 archive

Reference Desk: A Question and Some Funny Lines

I’ve got a question about a book title for folks, and then a request for folks to share their favorite odd or surreal sayings; I’ll cover the book question above the fold, then share an odd line related to the author and a relate a short experience with another “gotcha!” line afterward.

You’ll have full use of the comment section for replies to either or both.

First, the book related question:

There’s a 1958 book by Richard Matheson called “A Stir of Echoes” — it was eventually made into a Kevin Bacon flick, but that’s not important.

I’m interested in determining whether the title was ever a quote from a larger work of literature.

I’ve checked quote databases, but cannot locate it. Yet, I can’t shake the feeling that it was taken from somewhere…anybody know for sure?

Iglesia ……………………………………… Episode 26

(Iglesia is a serialized novel, published on Tuesdays and Saturdays at midnight ET, you can read all of the episodes by clicking on the tag.)

Previous episode and previous pertinent episode

He woke again with the sweet and seductive smell of cedar in his nose….and the cry of a raven in his ears. His eyes opened again to the peaceful and wonder full sight of the immensely beautiful and magnificently orderly chaotic grain and texture and….taste….of the blond and tan wood. He, during his untimed sojourn here, had become so permeated and so ingrained on the wood and in the tree that he occupied, that he now experienced it on the level of an actual taste in his mouth, and not merely smell and sight. He could also tell now that the sound of water he had heard before was coming from some cataracts, or a small waterfall. He wondered how long he had been here, how long he had been sleeping. The feel of the soft leather of his strange new clothes on his skin felt wonderful and right and natural and….he just lay there…not moving…afraid to move….lest the feeling of peace and pleasure he felt right now, would flee.

Saturday Night at the Pictures – The Hawaii Edition

Well, some of you may have seen me talking about being sick. That is true. Here’s the damage:

Acute Sinusitis

Acute Asthmatic Bronchitis

Acute Laryngitis

This is probably why I am late posting tonight. I also haven’t been sleeping very much.

Anyway, on to the show. Tonight we visit the 50th state, Hawaii. I was last in Hawaii almost 4 years ago. I won’t tell the whole story here tonight, because it is is an odyssey all on it’s own. My cousin, whom I have know all my life, and who has been a millionaire twice over, is a true piece of work. He asked me if I would come with him to Hawaii for several weeks, and to Anchorage for several more weeks. I used to live in Alaska, and he wanted my help (but not really) on operating his roofing business more efficiently. he is also a long-distance bicycle rider. So I was to be the ‘chase car’, among other things (including psychiatrist).

These photos are from that trip in March and April of 2004, a few months after I started blogging in earnest and joined the giant orange psych ward.

I shouldn’t be too hard on people, but I honestly believe that if most of the ‘advocates’ went out and worked the streets and towns, they would know the difference between a blog and a Democratic Committee.

The photo at left is on the highway from Lahaina to Kihei. I am a compulsive vacation picture taker, the winner of all time in 200 , when Lisa and I took over 7,000 digital photos on our trip from Virginia to California to pick up the last of my belongings.

The next few pictures are from the Baldwin Sugar Museum, across the street from the cane processing plant. It was interesting, and also kind of like looking at a dying industry. I especially loved the ancient equipment on display.

~~join me for more~~

How To – Alternative Energy

Solar Powered George Bush Chariot Ride:

🙂 🙂 🙂

Wind and Solar Energy How-To

A down home guy giving some down home tips:

2 More below the fold

Saturday Night Comedians

So the economy’s in the toilet.  So everyone’s on edge about the primary season.  We need humor more than ever!

In the spirit of we all need a good laugh, here are some clips for your amusement.  

Candidate War Recovery Thread!

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Thank you Dharmaniacs! You have built a bucolic blog in a blogosphere beset by bilious bloviation. A tiny little oasis of langour. A roadside stop to rest and refuel. A sanctuary from insanity. With a plethora of polite posters. A community of cogent commentors. A wide variety of weirdos. A synergy of snark and seriosity with a smidgen of snide. A textual terrain free of toxic tumescence. A variety of verbal vibration not noticed by nattering nabobs. And enough of a palliative to keep me from jumping into the candidate wars! ……….so far!

With no limit on the length of essays or laws against alliteration!!

Destroying Gaza

After being subjected to almost two years of relentless economic siege and vicious military assault, the 1.5 million residents of Gaza are on the brink of collapse. Israel is apparently determined to push them over the edge.

Hide-a-way Shows

Wifey and I had a dilemma — we wanted to get out and have fun, but didn’t want to go into Boston and deal with traffic, parking, headaches and lunatics.

We hit “teh Google” and surfed the Intertubes, and found a comedy club that wasn’t far from our home — it’s in Randolph, MA, inside a Holiday Inn.

Dick’s Beantown Comedy Escape @ the Holiday Inn, inside Zack’s Restaurant.

No problem parking.

We’ve already met comedian John Turco, and also on the bill tonight are Greg Howell and Kris Norton.

Reflections

For me January is a time of reflection. Not because of New Years, since I’m not one for resolutions, especially those requiring will power – something I don’t put much stock in. There are other reasons for this state I’m in today.

New York State Screws Speeders

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This diary is about speeding tickets. And Eliot Spitzer.  And George Pataki.  And the New York State Police.  And the state legislature.  And why drivers who speed in New York get shafted. And, of all things, the inefficiency of local politics.

Let’s face it.  Speeding tickets are the common cold of law enforcement.  And, unless you’re the recipient, its unlikely that you care about how a speeding ticket is handled.  But it’s still a big deal.  In New York troopers issued more than 1,000,000 tickets in 2007. And nearly half were for safety restraints, speeding and DWI.  These tickets represent a gigantic flow of funds to state and town coffers.  And how they’re handled speaks volumes to motorists about how fair their government is.

Join me on the road.

Waiting for Home Solar Panels?

Wouldn’t it be great if rooftops all over the country generated electricty from the sun?  It is rumored that Nicola Tesla, father of alternating current was given funding by American tycoon J.P. Morgan.  Tesla’s dream was free energy for all but J.P. said, “That’s all well and good Mr. Tesla, but where do I put my meter”.

I present a trade magazine article illustrating a barrier to implementing such an idea.  Read on while I translate the businessease doublespeak and compare it to other electronic business successes stories.

For Progressives: It’s time to back the real Progressive in the race!

According to CBS news, Hillary Clinton has won the Nevada Caucuses. Not that there’s any surprise in that, since she and Obama were seen as the true possible winners most of the way through. No, Nevada’s just telling us what we’ve known all along. The big two media darlings are going to be the front runners. Let’s look at the results:

Clinton – 54%, Obama – 45%, Edwards – 4%

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