Over at SFSignal, JP is looking for a list of movies that every wannabe SF fan should see. His first list contained 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, and the Matrix. Predictably the comments soon lost sight of JP's initial criteria and turned into "my favorite SF movies of all time are . . ."

As a result, JP is seeking to define a list of "Essential SF Movies," but this time broken into subcategories:

1. Newbie friendly
2. Must be seen
3. Hidden gems
[4. - Optional -for compleatists only]

Let's see if we can help him out. See extended entry. . . more...

Posted by: JohnL at 11:27 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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You know, when I blogged about Fabrizio Quattrocchi, I felt a little guilty singling out his heroism, when I knew that there were many stories of individual courage and honor left untold. I suppose that I, as a civilian (without military background) was moved by how Quattrocchi, a civilian, had met his death like a man -- the way I hope I would in similar circumstances -- a brave and defiant man.

Like many of us, I suppose I expect our military to be brave and honorable, so I inadvertently take the stories of individual military heroism for granted.

I'm glad that Ted points us to this moving story of the actions of several individuals, each heroic in their own way, to honor fallen hero PFC Chance Phelps, USMC.

I love Western civilization, and we owe its existence to the kinds of sacrifices that men like PFC Phelps have made on our behalf over the last 230 years. We should not and cannot take that for granted.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:06 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Cue Graham Chapman voice: "We are all Britons. . . "

At least those of us who like fish and chips and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding.

Guess that makes me British, too, tho' my Scots blood rebels at the notion.

I also like tea (I'm a teasipper, after all) and sausage-and-egg breakfasts.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:43 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Today's Get Fuzzy (one of my favorite comic strips) displays the effects of video game addiction.

While Rob is playing Rugby in the strip, that was me with Halo just a few months ago.

Hmm. Wonder if there's a Rugby game for Xbox? Yes. (Thanks, Amazon). Maybe I'll have to check that out.

Posted by: JohnL at 06:32 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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I've seen this charming toy at several sites, but most recently at the Llama Butchers' place.

Posted by: JohnL at 11:07 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Which Princess Bride Character are You?
this quiz was made by mysti

Posted by: JohnL at 10:52 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I like Jalapeno Jack, Camembert, and Blue Cheese.

Velveeta is best for Chile con queso.

White cheddar's good, too.

I wonder if Mister Mouse knows about this? (Seems too obvious, I know)

Posted by: JohnL at 09:56 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Here's one that should warm Ted's heart.

Today, my elder son's Webelos den met at a local park to shoot off rockets that they had built last week. This was my son's first rocket to build and today was his first rocket launch.

The weather was perfect, except for a slightly stronger wind than ideal. Sunny, temps in the mid-70s.

The rockets that the boys built were simple little A-engine no-parachute numbers. Several didn't go very high, and a few exploded when the engine's parachute charge went off, but my son's survived all four launches (and crash landings!) intact.

I've included some pictures in the extended entry.
more...

Posted by: JohnL at 09:28 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I usually make it a point not to blog about work. It just seems like the safest policy. And in any case, I almost always leave my work entirely at the office. Also, other people make law more interesting for people to read, so I focus on the random minutiae of my life.

Today, though, "work" followed me home in the sense that I have been burdened by ongoing personnel issues. I can control my work and its quality, but I can't control the actions and reactions between and among my coworkers and subordinates.

I hope someday to be General Counsel where I work, but after a day like today, I wonder if I have what it takes to manage people.

Grr.

Now, back to regularly-scheduled programming. . .

Posted by: JohnL at 10:04 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Check it out.

Not to be even more of a geek, but I think they have the scale wrong. That ship is way too small for 4" action figures' scale.

And anyway, I thought Darth Vader's flagship was the Super Star Destroyer Executor (not that I troll Star Wars websites).

Posted by: JohnL at 10:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Via Catallarchy, a funny video of a skateboarding dog. (Click the picture to open the video).

Posted by: JohnL at 10:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Well, life was quite interesting today. In case you missed the second update below, Jake the dog escaped our yard last night. We spent most of the day worrying, wondering why we hadn't picked up the crate so he could sleep indoors, wishing we had already "chipped" him (we're putting in a tracking chip), and otherwise blaming ourselves for normal dog behavior.

The good news came about 3:45 today. A homeowner about 3 miles away had Jake in his back yard. Here's the rascally runaway, looking quite pleased that he has gone from an outside dog to a house dog in less than 24 hours:

My wife just said from the other room (without having read over my shoulder), "Look at him. So far he has gotten nothing but his way. He's not in the backyard!"

But we love him. Funny how it works like that.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Take the Polygeek Quiz at Thudfactor.com

(Hat tip: The Llama Butchers).

Posted by: JohnL at 10:15 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Also via The Eternal Golden Braid, this assessment of the three personality types of space geeks.

I think they omitted a very important type - the Heinleinian/Pournellian. Shares many traits with the O'Neillians, but also believes in a strong military role in space.

Posted by: JohnL at 10:03 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Fred Kiesche at The Eternal Golden Braid seems to share many of the same passions as I do - space, SF, Legos, and models.

Late last week he linked to a page of assembled paper models that look nothing like paper (see, e.g., this version of the M-41 pulse rifle from Aliens).

Posted by: JohnL at 09:54 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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This is our new dog, a rescued stray we have dubbed "Jake."

By the vet's estimate, he is an 18-month-old Golden Lab/German Shepherd mix.

He's had a hard life and is a little skittish around men, but has the gentle Labrador disposition with the kids and my wife.

He's already worked his way into our lives and you can expect some more stories and pictures about him in the future.

Update: I see that Ted's been doing some dog blogging recently, too. Small world.

Update 2: Sad development -- we didn't have a crate for him yet, so Jake slept in our backyard last night. We had an empty yard this morning -- he dug out under the fence. We've been looking for an hour, but no luck so far. Sad kids, sad dad. Will update later.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:42 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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OK, Mr. Sandefur has done it, as have the Llamabutchers (tho' their quiz had to do with page 1 .

Instructions:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.

As with Mr. Sandefur, we have many books in the study here, so I grabbed the first one at eye level to my right off the bookshelf: "It is this exhaust steam blowing up through the stack which makes the familiar choo-choo-choo-choo sound of a locomotive." Morgan, Alfred. The Boys' Book of Engines, Motors and Turbines. (1946, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York).

Let's try again, but this time off the left bookshelf: "No wonder Tep had taken them north so slowly!" Rutherfurd, Edward. Sarum. (1987, Crown Publishers, New York).

Posted by: JohnL at 11:25 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I haven't blogged much at all about the war against the barbarians. I have too much trouble moderating my tone. Anyway, others like James Lileks daily say what I would want to say.

But today I read a little more about Fabrizio Quattrocchi, the 36-year-old pipeline security guard from Italy, who was shot in the neck and killed yesterday by Iraqi "insurgents."

Before he was murdered, he was forced to dig his own grave. He then tried to rip off his hood and shouted, "Now I'll show you how an Italian dies."

The world needs more Fabrizios and fewer psychotic death cult adherents.

Posted by: JohnL at 10:59 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Here's a nice gallery of space art and photos, ready to email to your friends.

I particularly like the Rockets and Astronomy galleries.

(Hat tip: Hobbyspace).

Posted by: JohnL at 11:12 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Following up on the earlier chili recipe discussion, Alan Brain pointed me to an Australian menu he summarized last year.

Although the presentation is a little "nouvelle" for my tastes, the selection and mix of native foods looks positively mouth-watering.

While you're at Alan's site, be sure to leave him a congratulatory note on his recent degree in Info Tech.

Posted by: JohnL at 10:59 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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