What's On It For Me? - November 1999

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[11/30/99]

Happy birthday to Dick Clark! The old codger is 70 years old today.

AOL sucks. Duh. Link ripped from Obscure Store.

File under "Upstate Girl": Christie Brinkley says that Al Gore is her choice for President in the upcoming elections, and wants to be a Democratic delegate from New York to the convention, as reported by Reuters. I think that's just temporary, though, because she'll work her way through Gore, Bradley and McCain, before settling down to have a love child with The Donald.

This story is a few days old, but damn, did it ever fly in under the radar. With all the media hype about guns over the last two years, who would have guessed that guns deaths have actually declined over 20% from their peak in 1993, with firearm injuries over the same period dropping an impressive 40%? And all this despite the anti-gun lobby's protests that this Congress has done nothing to control gun violence. Lee Annest, an official at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention thought differently:

Possible factors included an improved economy, aging of the population, a decline in crack cocaine usage, more aggressive law-enforcement and changes in laws and sentencing guidelines that impose stricter penalties for gun-related crimes, researchers said.

Note that he didn't cite new gun control laws as a potential cause. But don't take my word for it, check out the Reuters story for yourself. Interestingly enough, I couldn't find this new study anywhere on the CDC web site.

Yesterday's Washington Post feautured the euthanization of 28-year-old Hsing Hsing, the Washington zoo's last remaining panda. Since he was just a year younger than me, the story reminded me of my own mortality, and made me wish that they stretch *my* skin over a man-made frame when I die.

[11/29/99]

Those of you who have read my Epinion of Flashcom know that I am pulling my own hair and their teeth just trying to get a status report on the installation of my ADSL line. Latest news, nada. They still haven't responded to my November 15 inquiry nor my three follow-ups. Kids, let this be a lesson: don't order Flashcom if you need service anytime soon. I've been waiting now for two months. (I'm not giving them a link - if you're that foolish, you can guess it yourself.)

UPDATE: Flashcom has responded thusly:

Dear Valued Flashcom Customer: Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding your DSL service with Flashcom. I would like to inform you that the account action team has received your request. We will do our very best to come to a swift resolution and keep you updated on the progress we achieve. Thank you for choosing Flashcom! Regards, Flashcom Customer Care

Also, thanks to Michal for adding me to the Linkwatcher Metalog and a hearty greeting to anyone who has found their way here from there.

[11/28/99]

A prospective employee for Maxim magazine learns that "Alyssa Milano has so much body hair that she needs to be airbrushed quite a bit" while he ardently pursues a position. His serialized saga is featured by Green magazine (link found on Obscure Store.) I think the staffers at Green seem a bit... well, envious? (The Maxim link seems to work erratically.)

[11/27/99]

I saw Toy Story 2 last night and just loved it! As should be expected, Pixar has made giant strides in computer animation since the original. When you see it, because if you don't you're really missing out, watch for the textures on various objects, and the outstanding animation of everyhting from dust (including cheese doodle dust) to trailer trucks. Perhaps the best of all from an animation standpoint was the lifelike human figure, Crazy Al the evil toy tycoon. And computer wizardry aside, this movie has some of the best writing I've seen onscreen in I don't know how long. George Lucas (who gets deservedly ribbed in this flick) should be taking avid notes. And oh, yeah... did you get the inside Linux joke?

I've been working out lately, on a regular basis, for the first time in almost ten years. I look and feel worlds better. Much of this is because I love my gym. Check out my Epinion on it.

Her web site does, too! Former-intern-turned-handbag retailer Monica Lewinsky goes online at RealMonicaInc.com.

[11/26/99]

Happy Thanksgiving! Nothing today, since I'm off with family folk. Perhaps more this weekend.

[11/24/99]

Congrats to Bruce, who is the father of "a beautiful baby girl named Jay, two weeks old today."

Look out when you shop - those scanners are often wrong.

Epinions are like assholes - everybody's got one.

These guys perform bizzare acts with chickens on public access TV. It's not as bad as it sounds, and worth a chuckle: Crapfest

[11/22/99]

According to a poll cited by Roll Call, only 9 percent of the living, breathing, barely-aware public knew what Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo did for a living; and 4 percent, Canadian Premier Jean Chretien. Forty-six percent incorrectly identified Jean as one of Bill Clinton's former lovers.

Kiss this. Mahir dances.

[11/20/99]

Oh, yeah, did I mention that the Florida State Seminoles thumped the Gators 30 - 23 in Gainesville? See ya next year, baby - in our house!

[11/19/99]

After seeing Jason Kottke's extremely well done and popular log, and several of its webular kin, I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and crank up my own weblog. What you'll see here is probably a little different from most of the others you may have seen. You'll see a sampling of things personally dear to me, like college football happenings and bits o' knowledge that happen to support my own twisted world view. If you don't like it, complain to the man.

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