February 03, 2011
Great Moments In Odd Snow Formations
I woke up this morning, and this is what I saw out on my balcony.
I have no idea what combination of wind, sun and cold conspired to make this happen, but it pleased me to no end.
UPDATE:
The tiniest duck, closeup, cropped from the original picture. He's 3/4" long x 1/2" tall. I didn't dare put anything bigger on the snow formation, in fear of hastening the impending collapse... though it hasn't fallen down yet.
In case you're wondering, Duck U is still closed. According to an e-mail sent last night by Matt the Screwdriver, VP of Campus Ops, most of the sidewalks are still covered with snowdrifts six feet deep and the main road through campus is impassable. I can only imagine what the parking lots look like. So... snow day #2!
I have no idea what combination of wind, sun and cold conspired to make this happen, but it pleased me to no end.
UPDATE:
The tiniest duck, closeup, cropped from the original picture. He's 3/4" long x 1/2" tall. I didn't dare put anything bigger on the snow formation, in fear of hastening the impending collapse... though it hasn't fallen down yet.
In case you're wondering, Duck U is still closed. According to an e-mail sent last night by Matt the Screwdriver, VP of Campus Ops, most of the sidewalks are still covered with snowdrifts six feet deep and the main road through campus is impassable. I can only imagine what the parking lots look like. So... snow day #2!
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February 02, 2011
Snowmageddon 2011: 2/2, 845am (UPDATED @ 1242pm)
I'm not the sort of person who swears very often. Unlike many people these days, I believe that using profanity in everyday conversation is vulgar and childish... and I never use it here at The Pond. No, when I use an unpleasant word, it shows a moment of very high emotion. I'm explaining that so you really understand what I'm about to say.
Holy SHIT.
The picture above was taken at 1am. That red line stretching toward the tree is from a laser pointer... a clearly visible beam that stretched all the way to the tree. It was visible because of the snow coming down and passing through the beam, basically like what you'd get if you blew smoke into the laser. Around this time the wind was howling, the snow was falling around two or three inches an hour, there was thunder and lightning, it was terrifying... and awe-inspiring!
You may remember the post I put up with a picture taken at 310pm yesterday. Well, here's a picture I took about a half-hour ago:
...and that's on the railing of my sheltered balcony. The wind was coming from the north... my balcony is on the opposite side of the building. Here's the view of Pond Central's parking lot, which is on the north side:
Yup. The good news is that the snow seems to have stopped. The Duckford International Airport is saying "only" 13.5 inches of snow fell overnight, but there are reports of 17 and 20 inches in other parts of the city. Some rural roads have 12 foot drifts over them. Hundreds of cars have been reported to be stuck on the various highways and streets near Duckford. Most roads, both in and out of the city, are reported to be impassable. Duck U is closed today, of course.
This is supposed to be the fourth-heaviest snowfall in Duckford recorded history. Now comes the shoveling.
UPDATE @ 1242pm: Snowdrifts up to my waist. Took four men with shovels a half-hour to dig my car out. Once my car was done, we moved on to the car of one of the other guys. Then we did the car of a teenage girl who needed to go to work (and helped push her out, too... the snow drifted high under her car). Then I moved my car to a different spot at the far end of the lot, right next to the place the snowplow will start his snow-moving efforts... which means I won't have a four foot pile of snow to deal with in the morning! Just negative temps...
Holy SHIT.
The picture above was taken at 1am. That red line stretching toward the tree is from a laser pointer... a clearly visible beam that stretched all the way to the tree. It was visible because of the snow coming down and passing through the beam, basically like what you'd get if you blew smoke into the laser. Around this time the wind was howling, the snow was falling around two or three inches an hour, there was thunder and lightning, it was terrifying... and awe-inspiring!
You may remember the post I put up with a picture taken at 310pm yesterday. Well, here's a picture I took about a half-hour ago:
...and that's on the railing of my sheltered balcony. The wind was coming from the north... my balcony is on the opposite side of the building. Here's the view of Pond Central's parking lot, which is on the north side:
Yup. The good news is that the snow seems to have stopped. The Duckford International Airport is saying "only" 13.5 inches of snow fell overnight, but there are reports of 17 and 20 inches in other parts of the city. Some rural roads have 12 foot drifts over them. Hundreds of cars have been reported to be stuck on the various highways and streets near Duckford. Most roads, both in and out of the city, are reported to be impassable. Duck U is closed today, of course.
This is supposed to be the fourth-heaviest snowfall in Duckford recorded history. Now comes the shoveling.
UPDATE @ 1242pm: Snowdrifts up to my waist. Took four men with shovels a half-hour to dig my car out. Once my car was done, we moved on to the car of one of the other guys. Then we did the car of a teenage girl who needed to go to work (and helped push her out, too... the snow drifted high under her car). Then I moved my car to a different spot at the far end of the lot, right next to the place the snowplow will start his snow-moving efforts... which means I won't have a four foot pile of snow to deal with in the morning! Just negative temps...
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February 01, 2011
F1Pr0n: MegaPr0n 2011
Over the past two days, seven F1 teams brought out their cars for the 2011 season. Unfortunately, only one, Sauber, actually bothered to take glamour shots for our perusal. They, of course, got a F1 Pr0n entry all to themselves. Lotus released a couple of grainy and poorly exposed pictures and some computer renderings of their new car, so they don't get nuthin' until it hits the track on Wednesday.
But Renault, Williams, Mercedes, Red Bull and Toro Rosso? They get to share a post... the first ever F1 MegaPr0n!
We'll start with the team that got the least amount of worthwhile photos, Toro Rosso.
As near as can be told, the STR6 is merely an evolution of last year's chassis, which was, in effect, a Red Bull RB4 taken in a different direction than the parent team's chassis, the RB6. That's hardly a bad thing, considering that the RB5 fought tooth and nail with Brawn for the constructor's championship. Still, I was hoping for something a smidge more exciting from the Red Bull "B" team. It's a lower nose than that being copied by... well, just about everybody. It's possible that Toro Rosso is running an interim design, one that uses pieces from last year's car, until the whole package is complete and tested. Of course, they might be trying to step out of the shadow of the "A" team, too. Might be interesting, that. On the whole though, it looks pretty vanilla, or at least as vanilla as any F1 car can look. I'll pay attention to the car over the next few weeks and if there's any major change I'll let you know.
Next up, 2010's Disappointment of the Year, Mercedes!
First off, I love the new paint job. Last year's all-silver livery was historical, a hearkening back to the "Silver Arrows" of Mercedes' past, but it was a little dull. The addition of the Petronas green livens it up a bit. As far as the chassis, named the MGP-W02, goes, that nose reminds me somewhat of a platypus' bill. It's certainly higher than the W01's, though. Sidepod inlets are huge, but a triangular shape as opposed to the rectangular of last year's. Is that because the designers are trying to move away from the BrawnGP design? Or just an inevitable design evolution? Kinda hard to tell from this photo, truth be told. I suppose we should get used to rollouts like this, as opposed to the high-end, no-expense-spared affairs of the past. Darn shame, though.
Our next entry comes from the World Champions themselves, Red Bull!
If there was one chassis I wasn't looking forward to seeing, it was the new RB7. I mean, let's face it: the RB6 was the best car all season; on those few occasions it didn't win, well, it wasn't usually the fault of the chassis. With uber-aerodynamicist Adrian Newey on the payroll, it's not like there were going to be many external changes.
And indeed, there aren't. Oh sure, there's a new thing on the centerline of the rear wing, which I assume is part of the actuator for the new movable bits, but otherwise? Pretty much the same. Sidepod intakes look to be a smidge smaller, but it's really difficult to tell: black on dark blue does not visibility make. I'm sure there's something different, perhaps many somethings, but my guess is that they're all internal.
Speaking of black on dark blue, allow me to present the Williams FW33.
I really do hope they keep the car number in a white circle like that on the real livery; this is just the testing color scheme. I'm going to do something I've avoided this year... I'm going to post a picture of last years' car for comparison purposes.
Sharper downward turn on the nose, angled strut connecting the front wing to it as well. The thing that lept out at me instantly, though, was the sidepod. It's definitely more graceful in the FW33, more angled across the top where the FW32 was rounded. I'm sure some of that is due to the dark color preventing details from coming out, but not all. The rear wing is different as well, with a notch taken out as opposed to the whole upper-rear corner (if you get what I'm talking about). It's a bunch of subtle differences that, to me, add up to a chassis that's more pleasing to the eye... or maybe it's the livery, I dunno.
Speaking of liveries, it's time to bring out the best-damn-lookin' paintjob of the year.
Renault this season will be more correctly known as Lotus-Renault, for reasons that are much too confusing to get into here, and this livery is a tribute to the classic Lotus "John Player Special" livery used from 1972 to 1986... and my all-time favorite to boot. It's certainly better than the bumblebee colors used last year. And while the body seems pretty normal, there's something very clever going on with the R31... very clever indeed.
As you're all aware, the trick diffusers of the past two years have been outlawed. No more double diffusers, no more blown diffusers where the exhaust gases flowed directly onto the diffuser, none of that is allowed now. Of course, that removes a small (or not that small, perhaps) but measurable amount of downforce from the equation. Now, look carefully at the rear end of the car, right around where the word "elf" is located. That's roughly where the exhaust pipes should be, yet there are none visible. Good reason for that: they aren't there. In fact, there aren't ANY exhaust ports anywhere on the rear of the car. Instead, Renault has trunked the exhaust to the bottom of the front of the sidepods... where they blow onto and underneath the floor of the chassis. This introduces faster (and hotter!) airflow under the car, which in turn increases the downforce as it passes beneath the flat bottom, just like an airplane wing induces lift... except opposite, of course. It's a brilliant idea, and one that Renault deserves to have pay off big. Of course, there are potential problems here. Extra cooling and insulation will be needed around the pipes, since F1 engines kick out exhaust gases at approximately 800°C. Instead of going right out the back, now the piping is running around such things as the fuel tank, the radiators and the electronics... none of which play well with high heat. Look for the chassis to perhaps have overheating problems in Bahrain, Malaysia and Abu Dhabi. But it might just be worth it, considering how clever the idea is.
So that's it for the F1 MegaPr0n! The real Lotus should be taking the track on Wednesday, and with any luck we'll get some good pics of that challenger. Check back tomorrow!
But Renault, Williams, Mercedes, Red Bull and Toro Rosso? They get to share a post... the first ever F1 MegaPr0n!
We'll start with the team that got the least amount of worthwhile photos, Toro Rosso.
As near as can be told, the STR6 is merely an evolution of last year's chassis, which was, in effect, a Red Bull RB4 taken in a different direction than the parent team's chassis, the RB6. That's hardly a bad thing, considering that the RB5 fought tooth and nail with Brawn for the constructor's championship. Still, I was hoping for something a smidge more exciting from the Red Bull "B" team. It's a lower nose than that being copied by... well, just about everybody. It's possible that Toro Rosso is running an interim design, one that uses pieces from last year's car, until the whole package is complete and tested. Of course, they might be trying to step out of the shadow of the "A" team, too. Might be interesting, that. On the whole though, it looks pretty vanilla, or at least as vanilla as any F1 car can look. I'll pay attention to the car over the next few weeks and if there's any major change I'll let you know.
Next up, 2010's Disappointment of the Year, Mercedes!
First off, I love the new paint job. Last year's all-silver livery was historical, a hearkening back to the "Silver Arrows" of Mercedes' past, but it was a little dull. The addition of the Petronas green livens it up a bit. As far as the chassis, named the MGP-W02, goes, that nose reminds me somewhat of a platypus' bill. It's certainly higher than the W01's, though. Sidepod inlets are huge, but a triangular shape as opposed to the rectangular of last year's. Is that because the designers are trying to move away from the BrawnGP design? Or just an inevitable design evolution? Kinda hard to tell from this photo, truth be told. I suppose we should get used to rollouts like this, as opposed to the high-end, no-expense-spared affairs of the past. Darn shame, though.
Our next entry comes from the World Champions themselves, Red Bull!
If there was one chassis I wasn't looking forward to seeing, it was the new RB7. I mean, let's face it: the RB6 was the best car all season; on those few occasions it didn't win, well, it wasn't usually the fault of the chassis. With uber-aerodynamicist Adrian Newey on the payroll, it's not like there were going to be many external changes.
And indeed, there aren't. Oh sure, there's a new thing on the centerline of the rear wing, which I assume is part of the actuator for the new movable bits, but otherwise? Pretty much the same. Sidepod intakes look to be a smidge smaller, but it's really difficult to tell: black on dark blue does not visibility make. I'm sure there's something different, perhaps many somethings, but my guess is that they're all internal.
Speaking of black on dark blue, allow me to present the Williams FW33.
I really do hope they keep the car number in a white circle like that on the real livery; this is just the testing color scheme. I'm going to do something I've avoided this year... I'm going to post a picture of last years' car for comparison purposes.
Sharper downward turn on the nose, angled strut connecting the front wing to it as well. The thing that lept out at me instantly, though, was the sidepod. It's definitely more graceful in the FW33, more angled across the top where the FW32 was rounded. I'm sure some of that is due to the dark color preventing details from coming out, but not all. The rear wing is different as well, with a notch taken out as opposed to the whole upper-rear corner (if you get what I'm talking about). It's a bunch of subtle differences that, to me, add up to a chassis that's more pleasing to the eye... or maybe it's the livery, I dunno.
Speaking of liveries, it's time to bring out the best-damn-lookin' paintjob of the year.
Renault this season will be more correctly known as Lotus-Renault, for reasons that are much too confusing to get into here, and this livery is a tribute to the classic Lotus "John Player Special" livery used from 1972 to 1986... and my all-time favorite to boot. It's certainly better than the bumblebee colors used last year. And while the body seems pretty normal, there's something very clever going on with the R31... very clever indeed.
As you're all aware, the trick diffusers of the past two years have been outlawed. No more double diffusers, no more blown diffusers where the exhaust gases flowed directly onto the diffuser, none of that is allowed now. Of course, that removes a small (or not that small, perhaps) but measurable amount of downforce from the equation. Now, look carefully at the rear end of the car, right around where the word "elf" is located. That's roughly where the exhaust pipes should be, yet there are none visible. Good reason for that: they aren't there. In fact, there aren't ANY exhaust ports anywhere on the rear of the car. Instead, Renault has trunked the exhaust to the bottom of the front of the sidepods... where they blow onto and underneath the floor of the chassis. This introduces faster (and hotter!) airflow under the car, which in turn increases the downforce as it passes beneath the flat bottom, just like an airplane wing induces lift... except opposite, of course. It's a brilliant idea, and one that Renault deserves to have pay off big. Of course, there are potential problems here. Extra cooling and insulation will be needed around the pipes, since F1 engines kick out exhaust gases at approximately 800°C. Instead of going right out the back, now the piping is running around such things as the fuel tank, the radiators and the electronics... none of which play well with high heat. Look for the chassis to perhaps have overheating problems in Bahrain, Malaysia and Abu Dhabi. But it might just be worth it, considering how clever the idea is.
So that's it for the F1 MegaPr0n! The real Lotus should be taking the track on Wednesday, and with any luck we'll get some good pics of that challenger. Check back tomorrow!
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Snowmageddon 2011: 2/1, 310pm
The Anatidae Weather Service in Duckford, IL, has declared a Snowmageddon for Pond Central and the surrounding environs. Expected from this Snowmageddon is 12-18 inches of snow. Winds blowing from the north at 20 to 30 mph, with gusts of up to 45mph, will create blizzard conditions for much of the Snowmageddon area. Thundersnow may occur, with increased snowfall rates of up to four inches per hour may happen during these storms, with near zero visibility. Travel is greatly discouraged. Duck U has closed for the day. All night classes and evening events have been canceled. As of yet, there has not been an announcement as to when it will reopen.
The above picture was taken at 310pm, Pond Central time. We will update as events warrant. This Snowmageddon is dangerous and potentially life-threatening if you're stupid enough to go out in it... so don't do it.
The above picture was taken at 310pm, Pond Central time. We will update as events warrant. This Snowmageddon is dangerous and potentially life-threatening if you're stupid enough to go out in it... so don't do it.
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January 31, 2011
F1 Pr0n: Sauber C30
Of the three rollouts today, only Sauber released studio glamour shots of their steed, so let's give them the attention they richly deserve!
Yes I know, that's not a studio shot. Well, they didn't do a studio shot of the nose. We take what we can get 'round these parts. Again, let's compare to last year's car. Unlike the Ferrari, the sidepod intakes sure look larger than on the C29... in fact, the sidepods as a whole seem bulkier, at least from the front. It's a high nose, but that's more of a carryover from the 2010 chassis than a copy of the Red Bull. However...
...it has more of a droop than the C29. Maybe it's an optical illusion, but the nose seems more pointy than last year's. The shark's fin stretching to the rear wing is gone as well. After looking at the side view, I'm pretty sure the sidepods are bulkier. That can mean one of two things: one, the KERS unit takes up more space than I expected, or two, they expect to have cooling problems, leading to bigger radiator units (ergo, the larger inlets). Or something else altogether... it's so hard to tell with a F1 car. It might be simple aerodynamics, too.
I dunno... I think I prefer the looks of the C30 over Ferrari's F150. I'm just not sure if that's because it's really a better looking car, or if it's because I despise Ferrari so much. The addition of sponsor logos is welcome; it might let Sauber actually advance the design during the season. I was going to comment on the proliferation of Mexican-based business logos (Cuervo tequila, Telmex, Telcel, Claro), until I remembered that Sergio Perez is driving for Sauber this season. The addition of some color to the livery helps the looks, too.
Of course, looks don't win races... if they did, Lotus would have won every race last year.
Yes I know, that's not a studio shot. Well, they didn't do a studio shot of the nose. We take what we can get 'round these parts. Again, let's compare to last year's car. Unlike the Ferrari, the sidepod intakes sure look larger than on the C29... in fact, the sidepods as a whole seem bulkier, at least from the front. It's a high nose, but that's more of a carryover from the 2010 chassis than a copy of the Red Bull. However...
...it has more of a droop than the C29. Maybe it's an optical illusion, but the nose seems more pointy than last year's. The shark's fin stretching to the rear wing is gone as well. After looking at the side view, I'm pretty sure the sidepods are bulkier. That can mean one of two things: one, the KERS unit takes up more space than I expected, or two, they expect to have cooling problems, leading to bigger radiator units (ergo, the larger inlets). Or something else altogether... it's so hard to tell with a F1 car. It might be simple aerodynamics, too.
I dunno... I think I prefer the looks of the C30 over Ferrari's F150. I'm just not sure if that's because it's really a better looking car, or if it's because I despise Ferrari so much. The addition of sponsor logos is welcome; it might let Sauber actually advance the design during the season. I was going to comment on the proliferation of Mexican-based business logos (Cuervo tequila, Telmex, Telcel, Claro), until I remembered that Sergio Perez is driving for Sauber this season. The addition of some color to the livery helps the looks, too.
Of course, looks don't win races... if they did, Lotus would have won every race last year.
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January 29, 2011
Ducks In Anime: Lucky!
No, I didn't actually watch the show. I was over at Doki Fansubs, one of the really good groups out there, and saw the above. So of course I downloaded the three episode torrent to figure out which one it came from, and voila! A lucky Ducks In Anime post!
Why, what did you think I was talking about?
(does anybody really wear their hair like that?)
No, I didn't actually watch the show. I was over at Doki Fansubs, one of the really good groups out there, and saw the above. So of course I downloaded the three episode torrent to figure out which one it came from, and voila! A lucky Ducks In Anime post!
Why, what did you think I was talking about?
(does anybody really wear their hair like that?)
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January 28, 2011
F1 Pr0n: Ferrari F150
The offseason is over. F1 has come back for 2011 with the traditional first rollout of the season, Scuderia Ferrari! This morning they debuted their new chassis, the F150 (nope, no truck jokes here... yet). So what does it look like?
Like this:
Pictures of last year's car can be found here, and may be useful for comparison purposes. Two things immediately leap out at me. First off, the nose is higher. It's more like Red Bull's 2010 challenger, the RB6, then the Ferrari 2010 car, F10. Well heck, it worked pretty well for Red Bull last year, and in Formula 1 if it works, it gets copied. The second thing visible is that the air intakes on the sidepods are more horizontal than last year. The intake above the driver's head is rounder as well.
Let's take a look at the rest of the car, shall we?
more...
Like this:
Pictures of last year's car can be found here, and may be useful for comparison purposes. Two things immediately leap out at me. First off, the nose is higher. It's more like Red Bull's 2010 challenger, the RB6, then the Ferrari 2010 car, F10. Well heck, it worked pretty well for Red Bull last year, and in Formula 1 if it works, it gets copied. The second thing visible is that the air intakes on the sidepods are more horizontal than last year. The intake above the driver's head is rounder as well.
Let's take a look at the rest of the car, shall we?
more...
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Rio Rainbow Gate! ep04
After the cliffhanger ending of episode 03 of Rio Rainbow Gate!, when a potential rival for Our Heroine arrives on the scene dressed as a chicken-wing delivery girl, I had a horrible thought. "Could RRG! be developing a plot? Is this primordial ooze of a show evolving into primordial ooze with small vestigial flipper-like things that may in fact turn into a pair of arms sometime in the distant future? And could these squishy proto-arms perhaps allow our primordial ooze to operate a word-processing program by flailing at the keyboard randomly until a sequence of words appears on the attached monitor, words that actually form coherent thoughts and plotpoints, thereby accidentally injecting some drama and conflict into our cheesecake? Could this be happening?"
more...
"...we stand on guard for thee!"
(I bet you didn't know laser weasels were Canadian)
(I bet you didn't know laser weasels were Canadian)
more...
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January 25, 2011
Ladies And Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!
It's been a long offseason to say the least. Once F1 went dark on the 2010 season, there's been little of note to come out of the world of autosports. However, this weekend is the unofficial start of the 2011 racing season, and none too soon.
Consider: Friday will see the first rollout of a F1 car, Ferrari's F50. Saturday brings the start of my second-favorite car race, the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona (the 24 Hours of LeMans is my favorite), followed by the ending of the race on Sunday.
Then we get four separate rollouts on Tuesday, February 1st: Williams, Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Mercedes, as pre-season testing gets underway for the F1 circus. Finally, on Friday the 7th McLaren brings the MP4-26 to light in Berlin, topping off a busy, busy week!
As you can imagine, there'll be a whole slew of F1 Pr0n entries. And speaking of F1 Pr0n, watch this:
If that doesn't get your engine racing, nothing will.
Consider: Friday will see the first rollout of a F1 car, Ferrari's F50. Saturday brings the start of my second-favorite car race, the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona (the 24 Hours of LeMans is my favorite), followed by the ending of the race on Sunday.
Then we get four separate rollouts on Tuesday, February 1st: Williams, Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Mercedes, as pre-season testing gets underway for the F1 circus. Finally, on Friday the 7th McLaren brings the MP4-26 to light in Berlin, topping off a busy, busy week!
As you can imagine, there'll be a whole slew of F1 Pr0n entries. And speaking of F1 Pr0n, watch this:
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January 24, 2011
Just An Old 'Shop I Did...
I slapped this together a few years back for a FARK photoshop contest. If I remember correctly, it got more than a few votes for reasons that escape me to this day. Maybe there were a lot of Kanon '06 fans reading, I dunno. What the heck, I liked it.
To be honest, this is just here because I can't drum up the energy to post something worthwhile. We're still crazy-go-nuts at the Duck U. Bookstore, though that'll slow down starting Tuesday. Hopefully soon, there will be content.
To be honest, this is just here because I can't drum up the energy to post something worthwhile. We're still crazy-go-nuts at the Duck U. Bookstore, though that'll slow down starting Tuesday. Hopefully soon, there will be content.
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TGB S16E01
Over the past few years, I have watched dozens of episodes of the British motoring show Top Gear. I can't say how many exactly, but I do believe I've seen every episode since Season 7. Each season tends to be somewhere between six and eight episodes long, plus one or two specials each calendar year. One thing I've noticed (and been amused by) during the viewing of all of these shows is that, during the News and the Star In A Reasonably Priced Car segments, the producer tends to put at least one very good looking woman in the front row, in clear camera shot. I've come to call this young lady the "Top Gear Babe," or TGB.
To show the producer that their efforts are not unappreciated, I've decided that for the 16th season, which began today, I'm going to post the TGB after I've watched the episode. Without further ado, here's is Season 16, Episode 01's TGB!
At the end of the season, I might decide to crown a TGB Queen. We'll see how it goes, and if I remember.
To show the producer that their efforts are not unappreciated, I've decided that for the 16th season, which began today, I'm going to post the TGB after I've watched the episode. Without further ado, here's is Season 16, Episode 01's TGB!
At the end of the season, I might decide to crown a TGB Queen. We'll see how it goes, and if I remember.
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January 23, 2011
Bears Lose... Darnit
On the one hand, if you had told me at the beginning of the season that the Bears would be playing in the NFC Championship game with a decent chance of making it to the Super Bowl, I would have thought you were nuts. So this was a great season, right? Right.
On the other hand, the Bears were playing in the NFC Championship game with a decent chance of making it to the Super Bowl, and they lost. So it's a bad outcome, right? Right?
But to lose it to the Green Bay Packers? Having to see Virginia McCaskey, the eldest daughter of the legendary George Halas, handing the George Halas Trophy, given to the NFC Champions, to the hated Packers? Agony, sheer agony.
Even the unprecedented appearance of The Librarian at Pond Central on a weekend to watch the game doesn't make it any better...
Darn it. Darn it to heck. Hope the cheese melts.
On the other hand, the Bears were playing in the NFC Championship game with a decent chance of making it to the Super Bowl, and they lost. So it's a bad outcome, right? Right?
But to lose it to the Green Bay Packers? Having to see Virginia McCaskey, the eldest daughter of the legendary George Halas, handing the George Halas Trophy, given to the NFC Champions, to the hated Packers? Agony, sheer agony.
Even the unprecedented appearance of The Librarian at Pond Central on a weekend to watch the game doesn't make it any better...
Darn it. Darn it to heck. Hope the cheese melts.
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January 21, 2011
Sirius/XM Major Fail
As I sit here browsing the intarwebz, I've got Sirius/XM tuned in on my Dish Network receiver, specifically channel 6022, "Sirius 1st Wave." That channel plays "alternative" music, ostensibly from the '70s and '80s, but it's more like '80s and early '90s... but I digress. Anyway, the music this channel plays is exactly what I listened to growing up as a young duckling at the Old Home Pond.
On Friday nights, the show on 1st Wave is "Party 360," hosted by one Dave Kendall. Mr Kendall just did a promo for another Sirius/XM channel that I didn't catch the name of. I wish I had, however, as, according to Mr Kendall, it's a Nascar-themed show. That's mildly interesting in and of itself, but what he said after that really blew my mind:
"...it's three hours of NASCAR talk, hosted by the legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Senior."
Unless they really do have Dale Earnhardt Senior, in which case it's an epic win...
On Friday nights, the show on 1st Wave is "Party 360," hosted by one Dave Kendall. Mr Kendall just did a promo for another Sirius/XM channel that I didn't catch the name of. I wish I had, however, as, according to Mr Kendall, it's a Nascar-themed show. That's mildly interesting in and of itself, but what he said after that really blew my mind:
"...it's three hours of NASCAR talk, hosted by the legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Senior."
Unless they really do have Dale Earnhardt Senior, in which case it's an epic win...
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January 20, 2011
Days Like This...
...make me wonder why I enjoy working retail so much.
See, we're in the middle of Rush Week at the Duck U. Bookstore. Classes started on Tuesday, and while we expected to be busy, we didn't expect to be this busy. As in, "we've never done this amount of business during the Spring before, ever" busy. Which is good. Exhausting and painful on the knees and feet, but good.
And then, we got the phone call.
The one from the PR department at the Home Office. At 2pm on Wednesday. The one that told us that the CEO of the company was going to be in town to be interviewed by a local TV station, and the interview was going to take place in the Duck U. Bookstore. At 2pm on Thursday.
During the third day of Rush.
Cue panic PANIC!!!
We had to a) help the customers; 2) prettify the store; III) keep the store prettified. During Rush Week, a time when it's hard enough to find the time to refold a t-shirt. Now we had to:
See, we're in the middle of Rush Week at the Duck U. Bookstore. Classes started on Tuesday, and while we expected to be busy, we didn't expect to be this busy. As in, "we've never done this amount of business during the Spring before, ever" busy. Which is good. Exhausting and painful on the knees and feet, but good.
And then, we got the phone call.
The one from the PR department at the Home Office. At 2pm on Wednesday. The one that told us that the CEO of the company was going to be in town to be interviewed by a local TV station, and the interview was going to take place in the Duck U. Bookstore. At 2pm on Thursday.
During the third day of Rush.
Cue panic PANIC!!!
We had to a) help the customers; 2) prettify the store; III) keep the store prettified. During Rush Week, a time when it's hard enough to find the time to refold a t-shirt. Now we had to:
change four track lighting lamps
redo the front window displays
focus said lamps onto said displays
move two shelves full of sweatshirts without messing up the folds of said sweatshirts
dust everything into oblivion
unpack, check in and receive 15 boxes of books, without making a mess
vacuum the floor within an inch of its life
clean the back room, including my desk (cue moans of despair)
...oh, and help the customers too.
all while wearing a dress shirt and tie
and keep the shirt clean.
redo the front window displays
focus said lamps onto said displays
move two shelves full of sweatshirts without messing up the folds of said sweatshirts
dust everything into oblivion
unpack, check in and receive 15 boxes of books, without making a mess
vacuum the floor within an inch of its life
clean the back room, including my desk (cue moans of despair)
...oh, and help the customers too.
all while wearing a dress shirt and tie
and keep the shirt clean.
For the record, the whole thing went off without a hitch; the CEO was in the store for just over an hour, thought the place looked okay, and away he went. Leaving yours truly and the Duck U Bookstore Manager looking like frazzled noodles.
Yeah. Love retail.
Yeah. Love retail.
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January 18, 2011
Rio Rainbow Gate! Isn't Even Trying Anymore
Look, lord knows I didn't expect anything from Rio Rainbow Gate!. If it was lucky, it would just be merely bad. If it went like I expected, it'd be a massive trainwreck. If we were truly lucky, it'd go off the rails in some Calvin and Hobbes-style calamity.
more...
Like this one. Thank you, Mr Watterson, for making life much more fun for a while.
After watching episode 03 of Our Favorite Cardsharp Show, it has become painfully obvious that RRG! has just hit a penny on the rail... and we're all to be Farmer Brown.more...
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11:34 PM
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January 17, 2011
CV-1
In 1918, the Royal Navy commissioned the world's first ship to be easily recognizable as an aircraft carrier, the HMS Argus. In 1922, the Imperial Japanese Navy commissioned the first ever ship designed and built as an aircraft carrier, the Hosho. In between, the US Navy sent to sea the first of an unbroken line of carriers that led directly to today's nuclear-powered supercarriers.
But on the face of it, the American carrier had a very odd beginning.
The USS Jupiter (AC-3) joined the fleet in 1913 as the first electric-drive ship in the US Navy. A collier, her job was to provide underway replenishment to the fleet. This task led to her most distinctive feature, the vertical towers, called kingposts, amidships. These were structural supports for coaling booms, which would be lowered when a ship was alongside. Coal would then be sent down the booms to the decks of the receiving vessel.
These kingposts proved to be one of the reasons she was selected to become the basis for the first US aircraft carrier.
more...
But on the face of it, the American carrier had a very odd beginning.
The USS Jupiter (AC-3) joined the fleet in 1913 as the first electric-drive ship in the US Navy. A collier, her job was to provide underway replenishment to the fleet. This task led to her most distinctive feature, the vertical towers, called kingposts, amidships. These were structural supports for coaling booms, which would be lowered when a ship was alongside. Coal would then be sent down the booms to the decks of the receiving vessel.
These kingposts proved to be one of the reasons she was selected to become the basis for the first US aircraft carrier.
more...
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12:21 PM
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January 16, 2011
Introducing Frank
I'm sure I've never mentioned this, but The Librarian is a children's librarian, every age from "real young" to "teenager." A few months ago, she told me that her latest project for the "real young" group was going to involve something called "Model Magic," a sculpting clay. Jokingly, I said "Ooh, make me a duckie" and promptly forgot about the whole thing.
This past Wednesday, we went out for dinner. Towards the end, she presented me with the duckie she made. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Frank!
Why Frank? When The Librarian handed him to me, I looked him over and was mightily impressed. I then mused aloud "What should I name him?" The Librarian, with no hesitation whatsoever, replied "Frank." So Frank he is. Frank gets his color from a green glow-in-the-dark paint. Alas, it isn't a strong enough glow to show up in my camera, though it's quite visible to the eye.
Frank has the honor of being the only hand-made duckie in my flock, though Rusty II might qualify as well. Certainly he's one-of-a-kind... thanks, The Librarian!
This past Wednesday, we went out for dinner. Towards the end, she presented me with the duckie she made. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Frank!
Why Frank? When The Librarian handed him to me, I looked him over and was mightily impressed. I then mused aloud "What should I name him?" The Librarian, with no hesitation whatsoever, replied "Frank." So Frank he is. Frank gets his color from a green glow-in-the-dark paint. Alas, it isn't a strong enough glow to show up in my camera, though it's quite visible to the eye.
Frank has the honor of being the only hand-made duckie in my flock, though Rusty II might qualify as well. Certainly he's one-of-a-kind... thanks, The Librarian!
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The Seaplane Tender That Changed The World
After that headline, you're probably rolling your eyes... what seaplane tender changed the world?
That one... and I'm working on a ship profile on it. I intended to have it up tonight, but it's not happening. It will be up sometime Monday, as I've got the day off, so look forward to it!
(ps - no, this isn't a "name that ship" contest, I just wanted to put a teaser picture up, though if you want to take a shot, go ahead)
That one... and I'm working on a ship profile on it. I intended to have it up tonight, but it's not happening. It will be up sometime Monday, as I've got the day off, so look forward to it!
(ps - no, this isn't a "name that ship" contest, I just wanted to put a teaser picture up, though if you want to take a shot, go ahead)
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08:47 PM
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January 14, 2011
My First Greenlight!
Over at FARK.com, I just got my first greenlight that wasn't a newsflash about a dead baseball broadcaster... in other words, my first real greenlight! Of course, it's a topic near and dear to many of The Pond's readers: anime. Or burlesque. Both, really.
Here's the linky to the thread:
Five words you never thought you'd read: "This isn't cosplay, it's burlesque." (maybe Not safe for work-ish)
...and yes, I stole the link from Robert's weekly e-mail. I feel no shame.
Here's the linky to the thread:
Five words you never thought you'd read: "This isn't cosplay, it's burlesque." (maybe Not safe for work-ish)
...and yes, I stole the link from Robert's weekly e-mail. I feel no shame.
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11:20 PM
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January 13, 2011
Malaise
I find myself not terribly enthused in the Winter season of anime this time around. Only three shows have been interesting enough for me to even bother watching the first episode: Rio Rainbow Gate, Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Kore Wa Zombie Desu Ka. Only the last of those three made me sit up and take notice. I'll admit to watching the second episode of RRG to see how bad it would be, and it sure didn't disappoint. It was like watching one of those incredibly long coal trains go by, except the tracks lead right off the edge of a cliff and you're watching the cars go off one by one. That's RRG, right there... a never-ending trainwreck of mammoth proportions.
If we're lucky. If not, it'll just be tedious, boring and ugly.
Meanwhile, the first big event for the upcoming F1 season will be the debut of the new cars. Unfortunately, we have to wait until the end of the month before Ferarri puts their 2011 steed on display. That means we're reduced to stories about HWMNBN not being able to ski during the Red Team's annual winter media extravaganza because of a slight muscle tear.
...and his rollout of a new pornstar-grade mustache. He Whose Mustache Must Not Be Named.
At least I managed to accidentally come up with an idea for another WWII "What If...?" post. Now I just have to make sure I don't scare it away, try and sneak up on it.
Maybe it's just because of the long days at the Duck U. Bookstore. Classes start on Tuesday, and we've been pretty busy the past couple-three weeks. Or maybe the fire is going out on my need to blog. Guess anything's possible.
Hope not, though.
If we're lucky. If not, it'll just be tedious, boring and ugly.
Meanwhile, the first big event for the upcoming F1 season will be the debut of the new cars. Unfortunately, we have to wait until the end of the month before Ferarri puts their 2011 steed on display. That means we're reduced to stories about HWMNBN not being able to ski during the Red Team's annual winter media extravaganza because of a slight muscle tear.
...and his rollout of a new pornstar-grade mustache. He Whose Mustache Must Not Be Named.
At least I managed to accidentally come up with an idea for another WWII "What If...?" post. Now I just have to make sure I don't scare it away, try and sneak up on it.
Maybe it's just because of the long days at the Duck U. Bookstore. Classes start on Tuesday, and we've been pretty busy the past couple-three weeks. Or maybe the fire is going out on my need to blog. Guess anything's possible.
Hope not, though.
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11:26 PM
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