Skowronek.org » Off-Topic

Thoughts of E.L.I.

Skowronek — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 05:23:57 +0000

Not sure exactly what prompted my interest in this topic tonight, but I recalled a Japanese simulation I saw online a while back in which an enormous interstellar object (like an asteroid or comet) was shown to have impacted the earth. I was able to find various renditions on YouTube and am posting the one I felt had a good accompaniment.

Incidentally, it turns out there is a known asteroid that has the potential of impacting the earth (somewhere near the year 2800 AD).

Makes me smile: Carpool Violators Getting Busted

Skowronek — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:51:37 +0000

Nothing brings a smile to my face more than watching some bozo cruise along I15, alone, cut around me to jump in to the HOV lane, tout his tinted window, chrome, low profile wheeled, forest green Land Rover SUV hoping to skirt the law, only to instantaneously appear in the side view mirror of officer friendly who just happens to be in the inner lane.

He slows to cut out of the carpool lane in front of some poor, law abiding citizen nearly causing a 10 car pileup. A sigh of relief as he gradually passes the officer on the left. Whew, lucky bloke just about got busted. But wait, we have an astute, observant servant of the law who ever so smoothly slides behind Mr. Belvedere, flicks on his (or her) police lights and gloriously nails the not-so-bright law breaker for: driving in the HOV lane, reckless driving, and pissing off the guy in the beige Pathfinder behind him.

Yet another slinky to push down the stairs.

Come all ye subscribers

Skowronek — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:52:23 +0000

Apparently I’m a dork. Okay, not just a dork, but a bumbling idiot. When I migrated this site on to WordPress, I assumed I had set it up to allow people to register to my new blog so you could all comment. “I get traffic, why doesn’t anyone comment?” Well, I just realized today I had not enabled that particular feature. Well, my sin has been forgiven and I have turned on registration and commenting. With moderated comments, I can keep those “free Paris sex video” type posters at bay.

Enjoy!

Dad, tell me a story

Skowronek — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 05:20:00 +0000

Every night, part of the our bedtime routine is for Nicole to sing to each of our children and for I to either read or tell them each a story. Often, I tire of rereading the same collection of Dr. Seuss or other previously read short stories so I’ll recite an impromptu story of my own. After having done this for a year or so (the impromptu versions that is) I’ve decided to write them up as an archive for the kids to have when they are older. I don’t claim to be a master story teller, nor do I expect any kind of consistency between them. This is yet a means to appease their ever-growing imaginations as well as make it an enjoyable 10 minutes for me.

Enjoy the first one.

Mind your own business!!!

Skowronek — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 07:17:31 +0000

So as usual, I am up late, doing work (or things related to it) and have run across a blog that really disturbs me.

http://isawyournanny.blogspot.com

Basically, catch someone else’s nanny’s benevolence (or malevolence), then report them to the “nanny police”. Apparently, this site is gaining a lot of momentum in the blogosphere.

COME ON PEOPLE! Society please take a Valium, relax, breathe a little. Are we all so caught up in other everyone else’s business that we forget to worry about whether or not we should be doing so? I realize there are those out there that would say it is our “responsibility” as a society to take care of each other. At what point will we say enough is enough? Like I want people “spying” on me on every little thing I do as father, husband, etc.

However glorious the Internet has become, its amazing things like this continue to draw our attention. Social networking sites, blogs, and other such personal web site mediums are effective ways for an individual to communicate with the world. Now we have sites like this, welcoming blatant defamation about real people, who may or may not merit such discussion, by completely arbitrary (and more often than not anonymous) participants. How insane is this?

However helpful such a service like this (or others like it) may be to society, perhaps we should see really observe what’s down that dark alley before we attempt to stomp on personal freedom and individualism. After all, by allowing society to run your life, you are in effect, losing it.

To Reminisce the Revenge of the Nerds

Skowronek — Wed, 16 May 2007 07:24:45 +0000

The other day Nicole and I were thumbing through the channels and came across one of the oldies from my teen-hood, Revenge of the Nerds. As a software developer I have to say it hits close to home since I am regularly called a nerd by my wife. After lavishing in the splendor that is a smidgen of 80′s film making, the scene appeared where the Lambda Lambda Lambda nerds perform an amazing, synthesized, musical piece. As it finished playing I thought to myself, “that would make for one kick-ass ring tone to replace my generically boring default Treo ring-tone.” So I decided to make one! Fellow nerds, behold, the Revenge of the Nerds movie theme song ring-tone!

Every Car You Chase Mashup

Skowronek — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 17:04:49 +0000

I was watching Boysum’s brother Lucas’ engagement move today. On it was one of the best done mashups I have ever heard with The Police (Every Breath You Take) and Snow Patrol (Chasing Cars). I wanted to see if I could find the song online and ran across the person that actually did the mashup, VJ Brewsky. For those of you Police fans this might upset you a bit to attempt to enhance an already perfect song, but I have to admit, this song rocks.

Update: I decided to compress in WMV format for a smaller download. Every Car You Chase (right-click | save as… to download).

Update: Found it on YouTube as well…

“I not got goobs”

Skowronek — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 05:33:18 +0000

Tonight, during dinner, Nicole made reference to the dress (tutu) Brianne was wearing. Mainly, the fact it was showing her *ahem*, ‘boobs’. I proceeded to argue that that our child does not have ‘boobs’, rather a chest. Brianne then immediately countered with, “I not got GOOBS.” To which Nicole and I began to laugh hysterically at our clueless little princess.

Thus, the moral of our story, even when you feel your children are too young to comprehend your complex parental intercommunications; they are, and you’re not.

Hu’s on first parody…quite laughable

Skowronek — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 17:10:02 +0000

If you have ever seen or heard to the old “Who’s on First” bit between Abbott and Costello, you’ll enjoy this parody done with more current political figures. Granted this really cannot compare to the impeccable timing and prowess of Bud and Lou, but still, it’s humorous.

Disclaimer: May be offensive to some.

I’m sick of so-called pro-family NFPO’s

Skowronek — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 04:54:46 +0000

Today, I received my last official e-mail SPAM from AFA (America Family Association). I’m officially removing myself form their forsaken, over hyped, hyper-reactive, illogical, insecure, anti-societal stronghold. This last e-mail was the straw that broke the camel’s back, hammered the nail on the coffin, whatever idiom you wish to apply on this. My response to them can be read below:

My goodness! Itâ€™s a documentary. Documentaries are made to be informational, theory or factual based perceptions of societal hot-topics. This is a scientific discovery that in no way slams my belief in Christ. I can choose to believe in it (or watch it for that fact) or not. Please try to focus on things that really matter. The greatest threat to Christianity is disbelief, not information. Christ and god are real, thus no amount of information, science, etc can curtail that belief in Christ. The fact you are trying so hard to combat this belittles the concept of "faith" and belief in god based on faith. Perhaps a better approach, rather than attempting an information coup, would be to offer your rebuttal through well produced Christian focused documentaries and such. Just because someone takes the initiative to produce a documentary about hard evidence and vague theory, doesnâ€™t make them the anti-christ.


Incidentally, my e-mail bounced back due to a "Account has reached the allocation limit"
PS: I have decided to allow comments on this one, as I know many of you will have something to say to this.