Distraction 70: Legibility & Correct Punctuation

Like Edward, I too am a fan of legibility, correct punctuation and ridiculous placement of profanity. 

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Distraction 69: Space Mountain Exposed!

I just returned from a couple of days at Disneyland.  Midway through a ride on Space Mountain, it stopped and the lights came up.  (For those unfamiliar with the ride, it's an indoor roller coaster that's entirely dark except for simulated star light.)

It took about 5-10 minutes to get going again, requiring a couple of ride technicians to literally push-start us and then gravity did the rest.  It was really interesting to see the track layout since it's so difficult, if not impossible, to tell what's going on with the lights off.  I counted five other coasters stuck on the track at the same time as us and was astounded at the number of stairs and ramps all over the place.  

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Dsitraction 68: Anonymous

I once hung out of a car in traffic for one of Anonymous' free hugs outside of the Church of Scientology in SF.

Now a group acting under the banner "Anonymous" has warned the Westboro Baptist Church of unspoken retribution if the church does not cease and desist its hateful protests, you know, in the name of God.  More here

  

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Distraction 67: Trashcan Sinatras - Wild Mountainside

Aw, this was such as FANTASTIC show!  Thanks again for coming along, Darren.  :)

Trashcan Sintras

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Swedish American Hall, SF

and

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Cafe Du Nord, SF

and

Sunday, September 26, 2004 (one week before giving birth)

Magic Stick, Detroit

and

Thursday, June 29, 1993

St. Andrew's Hall, Detroit

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Distraction 66: Jesus Jones - Right Here Right Now

"...Watching the world wake up from history..."

Jesus Jones wsg Soho
Friday, May 3, 1991
Latin Quarter, Detroit  (only show I ever saw there)

I went with Keith & his girlfriend Angie, then we headed up Woodward to eat at the Denny's @ 12 Mile.  Good times...  :) 

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Distraction 65: Lustron Homes

Hot damn, nothing screams "Americana" like a pre-fabricated house from the late 40's.  The Lustron home was a factory-built steel house screwed together onsite by the Lustron Corporation.  Locate one near you by clicking here.

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Distraction 64 - Kenny Powers

Eastbound & Down is truly a treat, chock full of the essence of Will Ferrell.

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Distraction 63 - Danny Husk

I've been on a Kids in the Hall kick lately.  Danny Husk was a great unassuming character, thankfully not overused.




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Distraction 62: Cookies from Above

Up in the city, Fat Cookies sells cookies from a string dangling from their second story window.  


I can't decide if I'm more jealous of them (for stealing the idea from coke dealers) or their frequent customers (because I live too far to make it a habit).




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Distraction 61: Double Rainbow (Oh My God)

We don't get weather here very often, but when it does rain, I've found that there are almost always rainbows all over the place.  This morning on my way into work, I was treated to a double rainbow (oh my god).  This is not a picture of it:

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Distraction 60: World Champion Whistling

Geert Chatrou is a World Champion whistler.  Not terribly surprising I suppose, but I never knew such a title even existed, much less that one could make a living at it.  He performs "Eleonora" by A. Honhoff and his own "Fête de la Belle."

But what does he whistle while whistling in the dark?


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Distraction 59: The Common Bladderwort

KILLER PLANT SUCKS IN PREY AT RECORD SPEED
Plants would seem to live in the slow lane, but a carnivorous aquatic plant may be an exception.
By Jennifer Viegas


"Aquatic, meat-eating bladderworts are among the world's best suckers and they have just been named the fastest trapping carnivorous plants, according to a Proceedings of the Royal Society B study.


Their traps suck in prey in less than a millisecond, making this one of the speediest movements in the entire plant kingdom."  more




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Distraction 58: My Bloody Valentine - Sometimes

This album makes me think of cold, dark evenings in winter 1992.  

Happy Valentine's Day  <3

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Distraction 57: Voynich Manuscript

"Written in Central Europe at the end of the 15th or during the 16th century, the origin, language, and date of the Voynich Manuscript—named after the Polish-American antiquarian bookseller, Wilfrid M. Voynich, who acquired it in 1912—are still being debated as vigorously as its puzzling drawings and undeciphered text. Described as a magical or scientific text, nearly every page contains botanical, figurative, and scientific drawings of a provincial but lively character, drawn in ink with vibrant washes in various shades of green, brown, yellow, blue, and red." more...






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Distraction 56: Linkin Park - When They Come for Me

Last week SNL featured Dana Carvey and Linkin Park. It was one of those rare occasions that I actually watched the musical performances instead of fast forwarding through them.

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Distraction 55: Jim Noir - Don't You Worry

Latest and greatest favoritest artiste!

Forget the fake video; just go buy the album. 




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Distraction 54: Adventure Playground, Berkeley Marina

Similar to the Seward Street Slides in San Francisco, I can't believe this place is allowed to remain open; the liabilities seem like they'd be astronomical...



Remember the junkyard that Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids used to hang out in?  Adventure Playground kind of has that vibe only without the rats and stench of a real junkyard.  I kept expecting to turn a corner and see a kid playing a steam heat radiator; "Na-na-na gonna have a good time!"



Go build a fort!!



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Distraction 53: Narwhals

Since I've never seen one personally, I'm still not sure if these unicorns-of-the-sea really exist. It could all just be an elaborate hoax like other things I've never seen, such as gravity or Abraham Lincoln; all undoubtedly resulting in some sort of ill-gotten gains!

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Distraction 52: Belle & Sebastian - Read the Blessed Pages

"... Now a planted memory

Is a cherished story

... Love is like a novel

Read the blessed pages"

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Distraction 51: Raising Arizona

I just returned from Arizona.  I couldn't help but think of "Raising Arizona;" probably the funniest, most underrated movie by the Coen Brothers. So many wonderful details, in both the dialogue and props, cemented it as one of my all time favorites.

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Distraction 50: Ocular Dominance

Here's why you're right-handed or left-handed
Predisposition is tied to preference of one eye over the other, study finds


By Jennifer Viegas


When a southpaw shakes hands, his left eye and the right portion of his brain are working hard to process the other individual, suggests a new study. The research helps to explain why hand and limb preferences exist across numerous species.


The predisposition, as it turns out, are tied to ocular dominance, or the tendency to prefer visual input from one eye over the other, according to the study, published in the latest Royal Society Biology Letters.

Ocular dominance, in turn, is driven by cerebral lateralization, which refers to how information processing is divided and coordinated between the brain's left and right hemispheres.  …more

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Distraction 49: The Shins - Past and Pending

This one has better sound, but they disabled embedding.

"In matters of love loss, we've no recourse at all."

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Distraction 48: Beard Papa

Amongst her many talents, Hello Kitty is renowned for her discerning palette.

I concur with her endorsement; Beard Papa artisans craft a mighty fine puff.  

Distraction 47: Snow!

While I do occasionally pine for the muffled sound of snow blowers on a dark & chilly night, or the sound of snow being compacted under the weight of a passing car, I can't say that I wish I were here:

Snuggle up and stay warm, friends!  Spring is not so far off.

Distraction 46: Tater Tots

Today is not only Wednesday... and Groundhog Day...  It's National Tater Tot Day!  

I know what I'm having for dinner!  :)

Distraction 45: Groundhog Day

"Watch out for that first step; it's a dooozy!"

Here's hoping you don't wake up to Sonny & Cher tomorrow morning... and the next... and the next.