Off here in California, they showed the Episode II (anyone else think it’s amusing that we don’t even have to name the movie?) trailer on the evening news. Not that…
Off here in California, they showed the Episode II (anyone else think it’s amusing that we don’t even have to name the movie?) trailer on the evening news.
Not that it shows anything that incredible. But … Threepio (with skin), Yoda, Boba Fett (!), Watto (!?), light sabers, and lots of heavy breathing.
It doesn’t crank me up any more to see the film, but it was fun nonetheless.
The Harris Poll Online is doing a worldwide poll on 9-11 and the War on Terrorism. Granted, it’s by no means a scientific sample, it’s still at least worth as…
The Harris Poll Online is doing a worldwide poll on 9-11 and the War on Terrorism.
Granted, it’s by no means a scientific sample, it’s still at least worth as much of your time as discovering what robot, Star Wars character, or level of geek you are, right?
Obviously my level of concern over National ID is way too low. Al Martin sets me right. This uniform looked exactly like the Imperial Storm Troopers from “Star Wars” except…
Obviously my level of concern over National ID is way too low. Al Martin sets me right.
This uniform looked exactly like the Imperial Storm Troopers from “Star Wars” except instead of white, it was gray. All the helmets have little transceivers so they can communicate with each other. There will be six guards at each internal security checkpoint. And there’s another warning on the inside of the barbed wire enclosure, “Any detainees attempting to escape will be shot.” It was a yellow and red sign inside the detainment area.
I think I’ll hide my copy of 1984, just in case.
(Via bornfamous)
Phantomy Goodness Watched our new Star Wars I – The Phantom Menace DVD last night. Yeah, it’s still a fun movie. Yeah, the Gungans are goofy. But less goofy than…
Phantomy Goodness
Watched our new Star Wars I – The Phantom Menace DVD last night.
Yeah, it’s still a fun movie.
Yeah, the Gungans are goofy. But less goofy than the Ewoks.
Yeah, there’s something a little — wrong about the Padme/Annakin relationship.
Yeah, the Battle of the Dark ‘n’ Light Jedi is still really cool.
Yeah, the destruction of the Droid Control Ship is still silly.
Yeah, the beginning crawl is still pretty … uninvolving.
Yeah, the landscapes/cityscapes are still incredible. (Though the Naboo Throne City strangely looks like something that should be at Epcot.)
Yeah, Watto (the flying salvage trader) seems disturbing … Levantine. And the Trade Federation reps sound kind of … Oriental.
Yeah, the Naboo cruiser rocks.
Yeah, the added footage (during the race, mostly, but in a few other places) is neat, though it doesn’t really add to the movie much.
Yeah, the droid armies are just ineffective enough to explain why they aren’t around “any more.” But fun to watch, anyway.
Yeah, there were a couple of odd digital glitches (hesitations) during the film.
Yeah, Qui-gon seems awfully reckless. Yeah, Obi-wan seems pretty snotty. But, nah, I kind of like Annakin more now than I once did.
I understand the extras on the DVD are pretty incredible. I look forward to watching the rest.
Good movie. I think it will be a re-watcher. Bring on Episode II!
Here’s what she got on the “what robot are you” quiz: That fits in so many ways. On the “Star Wars character” quiz, she comes out as Han Solo….
Here’s what she got on the “what robot are you” quiz:
That fits in so many ways.
On the “Star Wars character” quiz, she comes out as Han Solo.
I am Princess Leia. Fear me. Fear my hair. I am also home. (Link via Doyce)…
“Reverend Toop, meet Jedi Master Dag Winru” Based on an e-mail campaign, enough folks in the UK census listed “Jedi Knight” as the religion to get it listed on the…
“Reverend Toop, meet Jedi Master Dag Winru”
Based on an e-mail campaign, enough folks in the UK census listed “Jedi Knight” as the religion to get it listed on the Official List of Religions for the census.
On the one hand, I think that’s pretty funny. And cool.
On the other hand, the curmudgeonly history guy in me frowns. (“Hey, you kids! Get off my lawn!”) And what will the genealogists do a century hence …?
(Link via Doyce)
As Episode 2 (Attack of the Clones) hurtles toward us, I ran across this article in About.com about where the idea of a 9-episode series came from. Interesting stuff. Of…
As Episode 2 (Attack of the Clones) hurtles toward us, I ran across this article in About.com about where the idea of a 9-episode series came from.
Interesting stuff. Of course, those of us who read the original Star Wars paperback back in ’76 knew that Lucas’ ideas were not nearly the polished products that all the fans thought they were. Nevertheless, it makes one wonder what other alternative courses the films might have gone — and where he’s planning on going in the next two.
The Phantom Answers Everything you wanted to know (and probably quite a bit you did not) about the upcoming Star Wars DVD. Lots of interviews, lots of cool stuff….
Everything you wanted to know (and probably quite a bit you did not) about the upcoming Star Wars DVD. Lots of interviews, lots of cool stuff.
Ouch. It seems we always do Big Home Improvement Projects when the in-laws come to visit. So when my folks came this time, I thought, hey, why not a home…
Ouch.
It seems we always do Big Home Improvement Projects when the in-laws come to visit. So when my folks came this time, I thought, hey, why not a home improvement project (of at least moderate size) for them.
Aha. The ceiling fan.
We’ve been wanting to put a fan up in the breakfast room for some time. We don’t have a/c in the house — most folks in Denver don’t, and there aren’t more than a few dozen days per year when you really wish you had some. Well, maybe more if you’re working from home.
So, now that summer is waning and we’re finally getting a few brisk (to coin a phrase) evenings, it’s time to put up a ceiling fan.
We’ve had the fan, and a between-the-joists bracket — for three or four months. Time to put it up.
And to learn, once again, why I don’t tackle these projects on my own.
Turn off the power, first.
Go up and pull off the existing, chintzy ceiling fixture.
Hmmm. Odd. I expected this to be a simple electrical box nailed to an adjoining joist. Well, there’s a joist, next to it, but no connector. Just some screws at the top.
Wait. Not screws. Rivets. Odd.
Call Jim, my Father-In-Law Master of Things Home Improvementish. He thinks its already mounted on some sort of bracket between the joists. Cool.
Assemble the fan. Big fan. Assembles easily, though.
Getting ready to mount it. Hmmmm, what’s this next step?
Remote control. Yes, this ceiling fan has a remote control. And that’s good, since we only have a single power line coming up here (otherwise we could have separate switches for light and fan). And the way that works … is with a modules the size of a garage door opener, with wires for the incoming power, then wires for the fan and light, and a little antennae for the remote control.
Y’see, this is really sort of a hybrid unit. It’s a ceiling fan with the wiring a ceiling fan would be. And it’s a remote control kit for a ceiling fan.
One problem. No way that little module is going to fit in the electrical box on the ceiling.
Okay, not a big problem. I can pry open some ceiling drywall next to the electrical box, make a slot for the remote unit to fit in, and still run the wires back through (I hope) to the box. Problem solved.
Cut, cut, cut. Be careful not to make anything that will be visible around the ceiling fan’s decorative bell around the electrical box.
Hmmmmm. That’s interesting. I can see up now past the electical box …
… and it’s simply has a hanger riveted to the top of it, that hanger in turn nailed to the joist. Seriously NFG to support a ceiling fan.
Damn.
Okay, drop back and punt. We’ll pull out the old electrical box, by brute force, then use the bracket-between-joists doodad up there, hang the enclosed electical box, all’s right with the world.
(What the hell is this old box made of? Some sort of bakelite, or quasi-ceramic material Weird.)
Okay. Slide the bracket-between-joists doodad up through the hole. This thing’s cool. It has a spiked bracket at each end to dig into the joist, and you turn the shaft in-between to extend it out. It starts out just short of 16″ — the usual distance for joists — and extends out to 24.
Unfortunately …
… the distance to the next joist is 11″.
Off to Home Depot to return that guy, see if there’s a different, shorter one. Alternative is to tear out more drywall, bracket/hang a 2×4 between the joists, and go from there. Or so suggests Jim, after another phoned consult.
A very, very helpful fellow at HD speculates that the bracket things — they have them there — could be cut down with a hacksaw. Duh. Buy a hacksaw for $5, come home, cut it off, lookin’ good …
…. And it’s time to go off and start off our new Star Wars campaign. Tale to be continued ….
So it’s funny. I’m a D&D Widower tonight. She’s over at Doyce’s, doing D&D, while I stay at home and take care of the baby. It’s … weird. Of course,…
So it’s funny. I’m a D&D Widower tonight. She’s over at Doyce’s, doing D&D, while I stay at home and take care of the baby. It’s … weird.
Of course, I’ve done the same thing in reverse. Though not much. And I’ll be doing Star Wars RPG without her. And we’ll still be gaming together. And I’ll be running my own game Real Soon Now Again.
Still, it’s weird. Kinda fun, though.