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Knocking Opportunities

2008-06-22T23:49:00.001-07:00

Knocking Opportunities, originally uploaded by Epiclectic.

Custom Paper Toys

2008-06-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

"WELCOME TO CUSTOM PAPER TOYS!

Hi friends, welcome to Custom Paper Toys! This is home for all the little paper creatures I make. There is a list over to the right of all my free paper toys you can download and have for your very own. I'll post a new free Paper Toy of the Month every month. I'll also be posting a stray paper toy here and there as well as my paper toy commissions and collaborations.

PAPER TO THE PEOPLE!"

I found this site as a link from Flickr and really liked the idea that you don't need batteries, GPS or liquid crystals to entertain yourself . Wishing Matt much success.

Vinyl Babe

2008-04-23T20:40:00.001-07:00

Vinyl Babe
Originally uploaded by Epiclectic.

Rolling in Dough

2008-04-03T22:03:00.001-07:00

ka CHING
Originally uploaded by Epiclectic.

Recieved my first paycheck from Google from AdSense revenue. Took almost 4 years to make $102.00 - with absolutely NO effort on my part.

Feeling generous? Simply visit Epiclectic's Vintage Vinyl and click on one or two of the ads you see at the bottom of the album cover pages. Thanks for your kind thoughts.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2008-03-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

Well, it was just a matter of time before the dreamsquashers arrived. I received this sad piece of information today - GOOD FRIDAY. I apologize for all the smiles and happiness I will no longer be able to deliver to viewers of the long-lost video clip of Milton.

YouTube Broadcast Yourself™

Dear Member:

This is to notify you that we have removed or disabled access to the following material as a result of a third-party notification by Viacom International Inc. claiming that this material is infringing:

Milton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZon9qf2NKA

Please Note: Repeat incidents of copyright infringement will result in the deletion of your account and all videos uploaded to that account. In order to prevent this from happening, please delete any videos to which you do not own the rights, and refrain from uploading additional videos that infringe on the copyrights of others. For more information about YouTube's copyright policy, please read the Copyright Tips guide.

If you elect to send us a counter notice, please go to our Help Center to access the instructions.

Be aware that there may be adverse legal consequences in your country if you make a false or bad faith allegation of copyright infringement by using this process.

Sincerely,

YouTube, Inc.

Abarth 500

2008-02-22T22:49:00.001-08:00

abarth 500
Originally uploaded by benbarren.

Flashing back to the days of the Fiat 600. Bet this thing is a real pocket rocket.

Weidemann - Bohemian Special

2007-12-28T18:14:00.001-08:00

Weidemann
Originally uploaded by Petromyzon.

Famous since 1870... and misspelled ever since.

Target Audience?

2007-12-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

I wonder if anyone else noticed that the annoying dancing girl on those ubiquitous LowerMyBills ads has been going through some changes. It appears they are now targeting amputee homeowners in Alabama.

Too weird for me.

Unintentional Voyeur

2007-10-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

The thing I love about the Internet is those unplanned, non-sequiter journeys that take you places you never knew existed, and weren't expecting.

For example, today while happily working in Dreamweaver, I decided to respond to the beg screen, and downloaded a trial version of Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 Developer Toolbox. Part of the sign-up included subscribing to the Adobe Edge newsletter. After receiving my "welcome email" from them, I clicked the link to check it out.

Well, to make a long story short, I came across to a link to the HBO Voyeur - lets say "experience". You might want to add this to your list of "interesting sites".

I won't tell.

When The World Was Round

2007-09-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

Wonderful video for Ian Hunter's latest single from his Shrunken Heads album. It's about time the world recognized Ian's talent big time. Share this with your friends.

Barstow 2008

2007-08-06T01:02:00.001-07:00

Workplace Conflict

2007-07-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

Integrity

2007-06-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

There comes a point when you have to stay true to yourself, in spite of what you are being told or paid to do. While Mika's noble effort to purge the news of another irrelevant story may get her ass fired, I applaud her position.

Thanks, Mika.

Million Dollar Idea #1

2007-06-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

Because God Touched Me There

2007-05-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

Gary Spivey

I had never heard of this guy until I stumbled across his name while searching the web. If you have never heard of Gary Spivey, you might enjoy learning more about this guy. Here's a brief bio from his website:

Gary Spivey is world-renowned for his psychic talent, uncanny ability to predict future catastrophic events (its no wonder that people all over the world gave him the nickname 'The Modern Day Nostradamus'), his gift to communicate with those who have crossed over to the other side and for his amazing healing energy. Gary is well known for his genuine down home style and jovial personality. He lectures, teaches and councils people worldwide.

Yikes. Yikes. Yikes.

Encyclopedia of Life

2007-05-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

From the website...

"Comprehensive, collaborative, ever-growing, and personalized, the Encyclopedia of Life is an ecosystem of websites that makes all key information about life on Earth accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world. Our goal is to create a constantly evolving encyclopedia that lives on the Internet, with contributions from scientists and amateurs alike. To transform the science of biology, and inspire a new generation of scientists, by aggregating all known data about every living species. And ultimately, to increase our collective understanding of life on Earth, and safeguard the richest possible spectrum of biodiversity."

My gut tells me this is gonna be really big.

Will Someone Pick Up The Phone?

2007-05-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

ABC - Pennington’s proven himself to be a pro at public apologies. He’s already churned out the obligatory “I’m sorry” to, well, basically everyone. He admitted he made a mistake, called it a wake-up call and expressed his thankfulness that no one was hurt. He went on, I also want to apologize to my fans, ABC Television and my design team for my lapse in judgment and the embarrassment I have caused."

HBO - In a message sent by email to all HBO employees at about 3:45 p.m., Mr. Albrecht said he was “deeply sorry for what occurred in Las Vegas this weekend” and that it represented “a wake-up call to me of a weakness I thought I had overcome long ago.”

COMEDY - Mel Gibson 's DUI arrest was a "big wake-up call" for Robin Williams , the funnyman tells Access Hollywood in an interview scheduled to air Monday. "If you're violating your standards faster than you can lower them, time to go away," he said. Williams, 55, announced that he was seeking treatment for alcoholism less than two weeks after Gibson's high-profile arrest in late July. "Well, if (rehab) was good enough for him, I'll go," Williams said. "I just think it was kind of like, well, he's in, let's go now." Williams said he had been sober for 20 years when he started drinking again.

Bottom line: If you ask me, and no one has, there is a huge difference between receiving a "wake up call", and dragging your sorry ass out of bed, into the shower and changing your habits for good. I suggest we all stop using this trite phrase and keep it real... How about something a bit more sincere, like "I fucked up and got caught and have to pay the price for my actions."

That would work for me.

Justice Served

2007-05-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

Another non-news event, by someone whose name does not need to be mentioned here.

Focus on Balance

2007-05-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

When you think everything is balanced, some unexpected event comes along and tips the scale; and suddenly you realize you are completely powerless in controlling balance in your life.

Life/Work balance can never be taken for granted. It may be a goal or objective that guides your life, but you never actually will arrive at that destination.

Never.

Nothing is permanent.

"Please Accept My Apology"

2007-04-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

That's all I have to say about that.

In case you were wondering, I haven't said or done anything requiring an apology, but its obvious to me, that the easiest way to get a lot of attention in the media is to come out publicly and apologize for your behavior.

So I did.

I am available for interviews. Please contact my publicist.

Forgetting His Roots?

2007-04-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

One of the most influential people in hip-hop industry, Russell Simmons, urged recording and broadcast industries to forbid the use of racist words such as "b**ch," "ho" and "n***er" in all of the future recordings.

In a statement released on Monday, Russell Simmons and Dr. Benjamin Chavis argue that words such as "ho","n***er" and "b***h" are derogatory and disrespect people's suffering over the past few centuries.

"We recommend that the recording and broadcast industries voluntarily remove/bleep/delete the misogynistic words 'bitch' and 'ho' and the racially offensive word 'n***er.'," Simmons and Chavis said in a joint statement.

Hey, isn't this the same guy that made his claim-to-fame with that series of insanely offensive Def Comedy Jam specials on HBO? I'm pretty open-minded, and can take almost anything that you can throw down the pipe, but the language on those shows and the sterotypical delivery of the performers on the show put this on my "must avoid" list of programs.

Hmmm, seems like he has no problem with such acceptablly standard expletives such as f**k, s**t, and c**t. I guess when you are an important media mogul, you gotta draw the line somewhere.

Yo... an idiot.

Stay Hungry

2007-04-11T09:32:00.001-07:00

Stay Hungry
Originally uploaded by Epiclectic.

"Grab life by the bone and chew away!"

Shrunken Heads in San Juan Capistrano

2007-03-23T22:02:00.000-07:00

Lightning strikes twice in Southern California!

Here we are, not even a week after Ian Hunter played The Grove of Anaheim, and I find out he has penciled in yet ANOTHER visit to Southern California on June 16 to promote the release of his new CD "Shrunken Heads". Even more bitchen, he will be playing The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano - 10 minutes down the freeway.

Check out the first single to be released, "Words (Big Mouth)" by clicking the picture. Then, go buy the album!

Too freakin' cool!

My Cup Runneth Over

2007-03-19T07:45:00.001-07:00

My Cup Runneth Over
Originally uploaded by Epiclectic.

Cool is forever!

Funny or Not Funny?

2007-03-04T00:48:00.000-08:00

This morning, I came across this youtube video of a crank-calling comedian named Tom Mabe, who is jerking the chain of some satellite dish salesman on the phone. Based on the comments posted, apparently everyone finds this hilarious and sides with Tom as he rants while the poor guy on the phone is trying to make sense out of it...

As you may know, I'm working with a mortgage brokerage, and we purchase our leads from what are purported to be reputable lead companies, with the names and phone numbers of people who have requested refinancing information. And depending on the lead source, we might pay $20-$40 for that name and phone number. So, when we call someone, it is in response to their serious request. We are not telemarketers and these are not cold calls.

Anyway, as I began listening to the recording, it sounded strangely familiar. 4 or 5 months ago, I had received a lead for a "Tom Mabe", and was told I had called the scene of a homicide investigation. The dialog went pretty much as you hear on the recording. However, if you pay attention, 99 percent of the dialog is all coming from Tom's babbling. A prank-call comedy bit with an unsuspecting audience member. Funny? I don't think so; but I don't see the humor in Crank Yankers either. I recall thinking it was probably the weirdest conversation I had, however.

Anyway, give it a listen...

So, it is my suspicion that Tom is not pranking telemarketers. He is filling in forms on the internet ASKING for people to call him. We get screwed out of $30 bucks so this guy can perform his little comedy act? I wouldn't pay that to see ANY comedian at a comedy club. What gives him the right?

My opinion: "Tom Mabe is a Dick".

By the way, I still have his phone number so if you are interested in calling his home phone in the middle of the night to see how he is doing, drop me a line. :)

Droste Self Portrait

2007-02-02T00:57:00.001-08:00

Droste Self Portrait
Originally uploaded by AB-.

Came across this really cool photo in Flickr.

If this doesn't bend your brain, then nothing will. And to think that M.C. Escher created this kind of effect without the use of computers or software algorithms. What a mind.

This stuff is fascinating

I'm Amazing Myself

2007-01-27T12:17:00.000-08:00

With absolutely NO previous experience at doing this, in slightly less than 2 days, I have successfully installed and configured a PostNuke 0.7.6 CMS system on my 1&1 Linux server, installed, integrated and configured a PNphpBB2 v1.2i bulletin board system, registered a new domain name, and have begun loading content for an anticipated site launch on Monday evening.

When it is ready to go live there will be a link on my homepage, but its a members only site so if you are lucky, I might release a few screen shots once its up and running.

God, this is fun! Really.

and now for Something Completely Different

2007-01-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

You say you're tired of the inane stories of blonde, Hollywood bimbos? Then check out this interesting little diversion if you are looking for some meat with your potatoes.

Heads Found In Farmer's Freezer

POLICE searching the home of a Canadian pig farmer found the severed heads, hands and feet of two women hidden in a freezer, a court was told today at the start of one of the world's most grisly murder trials.

"In each case the head had been cut in two vertically," prosecutor Derrill Prevett told the court at the start of the trial of Robert William Pickton, who has been accused of the murders of 26 women in Canada's worst serial killings. With the skulls were the left and right hands and the front part of the left and right feet, Mr Prevett said. The body parts were found inside two buckets in two freezers in the workshop of Pickton's farm in Port Coquitlam, 50km outside western Vancouver.

Methinks Robert may be watching a bit too much cable programming, and believes Showtime's Dexter to be a new reality show... Yikes.

Joost™

2007-01-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

Joost. Sounds like "juiced". The revolution has arrived.

Joost™ is a new way to watch TV, free of the schedules and restrictions that come with traditional television. Combining the best of TV with the best of the internet, Joost™ gives you more control and freedom than ever before - control over what you watch, and freedom to watch it whenever you like. We're providing a platform for the best television content on the planet - a platform that will bring you the biggest and best shows from the TV studios, as well as the specialist programs created by professionals and enthusiasts. It's all overlaid with a raft of nifty features that help you find the shows you love, watch and chat with friends, and even create your own TV channels.

Paris Joins My IDGAS List

2007-01-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

Paris Hilton blames burger hunt for DUI arrest, pleads not guilty

Pleading innocent to two misdemeanor counts of drunken driving in her September 6 arrest in Los Angeles, the 25-year-old Simple Life star's defense counsel Shawn Chapman Holley told the Los Angeles Superior Court that Hilton was looking to pick up a burger from an In-N-Out restaurant when she was apprehended by the police.

Please make the insanity stop. The audacity to think people like Paris and "her people" feel they can get away with this crap appalls me.

Anyway, shouldn't she have been looking for a Carl's Jr.? (Hey, Karcher Enterprises... sue the bitch for breach of contract.)

Heaven Help Us

2007-01-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

Oh my God - LOOK OUT!
It's THE DECIDER!

Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of "Iraq My Brain".

Happy Holidays

2006-12-23T23:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays, originally uploaded by epiclectic.

May you surround yourself with those you love this Christmas season, and may 2007 exceed your expectations!

Best wishes from all of us to all of you.

Jefferson Arrested in Alleged Drunk Driving Incident

2006-12-11T12:14:00.000-08:00

Susie Jefferson was today arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, authorities said.

California Highway Patrol officers took the 25-year-old daughter of mortgage broker Jack Jefferson into custody without incident after she failed an on-the-spot test in Burbank.

The girl's black GMC Jimmy was stopped in the car pool lane of State Highway 134 when officers arrived.

Authorities said they did get emergency calls about a car going the wrong way on the freeway and the car matched the description of Jefferson's.

Jefferson was booked in Glendale, tested for drugs and later released, a police spokesman said.

The results of the drug test have not been determined.

A message left with Jefferson's mother was not immediately returned.

Burbank is 10 miles north-east of Los Angeles.

Note: THIS IS NOT NEWS. At least it is not news when it happens to everyday common folk. So what makes changing the names turn it into an international news story? Add Nicole Richie to my IDGAS folder.

Read the Manual

2006-11-26T17:06:00.000-08:00

When both the yellow (charge plus) and the green (fully charged) button are lit on my Ryobi cordless drill's battery pack recharger for more than 15 minutes, the oh-so-informative sticker on the charger instructs me to "see manual". Too lazy to remember where I stored the manual, I turned to my faithful companion, Google, and let it do my legwork. Well, I found the information I was searching for and learned that it is either in "charge plus mode" (which is never explained in the manual) or the battery is faulty. So, do I know more now? No.

Anyway, during my read through the manual, I came across this entertaining diagram of an incorrectly inserted drill bit and decided to post it here for the up-and-coming youngsters who are choosing a career in construction, or for anyone who has been selected to provide the safety topic at the beginning of your next meeting. YOU know who you are.

Just sharing some knowledge. You're welcome.

I Have THE JR-OJ Solution

2006-11-16T09:52:00.000-08:00

"Insanity? It's a tightrope I walk every day."
Judith Regan in Psychology Today, May/June 2005

Well, guess who's publishing OJ's book?

Aren't there any desert islands left where we can ship all of these loony bozos, and let them live in their mutual-admiration society - where they can't hurt anyone? The ONLY caveat is that it must be very clear that absolutely NO form of communication is allowed to or from the island.

"Out of mind should be out of sight."
Steve Weidemann in [ intentionally blank ]

So, Why Bother?

2006-11-14T18:58:00.000-08:00

Read a story in the latest issue of Time magazine that stated there are "100,000 new blogs created every day". Makes you wou wonder just how much global communication takes place when it is just a bunch of opinionated people typing on their web-based typewriter, and tossing virtual musings into the internet trash can. Are you there, and do you care? Nope.

Patience Exhausted

2006-11-09T17:47:00.000-08:00

Today is November 9, 2006, and I am weary.

I believe that each one of us, forced to live in a technology-based and information-overloaded society, has a supreme entity-given right to have full access to the sophisticated software applications that allow us to activate a permanent BLOCK on anything that we choose to no longer have thrust upon us as we go about living our mundane little lives.

You know what I mean.

In the past, I had my IDGAS list. (For those acronymically-impaired readers, it means "I Don't Give A Shit".)

Well, today, my brain finally exploded, and I no longer care to have ANY exposure to information or mention of the following meaningless topics of discussion:

[ENABLE BLOCK ON]

Britney Spears, Kevin Federline, their divorce, their stupid nicknames, their brainless interviews, their tears, their pain, etc.
Madonna and her poor little publicity-kid.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt - although I don't mind if they are acting in a movie - just lose that humanitarian "cause" crap.
Reese Witherspoon and Ryan P's divorce. Claim to fame Legally Blonde? Geeze.
Kirsty Alley's ability to drive up Oprah's ratings (like she needs that) because she put on a lot of weight, starred in a show about her fatness, became spokeswoman for company that made her lose weight, and then made a big deal made about her "coming out" bikini exposure on Oprah to show off her oversized, nylon-wrapped thighs. Enough already.
Reality television. After the first season of Survivor, what kind of idiots still watch that stuff???
... and the bajillion other topics that add no value to my life.

[ENABLE BLOCK OFF]

Thanks for respecting my wishes and not bringing up any of these subjects in my presence. I will try to do the same.

It Thinks Its a Bird

2006-11-08T00:09:00.000-08:00

I, too, experienced the thrill of flight when lifting my 850 Coupe up on two wheels while pulling in at the Tastee Freeze. Dave... I saw this and thought of you. You should have been inside the car with me if you really wanted your life to flash before you.

850 Fiat Love Stories

2006-11-02T00:27:00.000-08:00

Note to self: Create blog that collects memories from my 1970-1973 "coming of age" period, by highlighting events that center around this classic piece of Italian scrap iron - my very first car, a 1967 Fiat 850 Coupe. Isn't it Sweet?

The blog will, no doubt, evolve into my personal version of George Lucas' memory dump, "American Graffiti". Initial thoughts that come to mind include: cruising Whittier Blvd, Tastee Freez, two-wheel parking, fog lights at La Habra drive-in, 4-track tape deck, reverb and railroad tracks on Beach Blvd, mildew-encrusted yellow shag carpet, Craig speakers, 3-day engine rebuild with STP and sliced-off fingertips, Foster Road industrial park, The Bull Pen with Red, Horseface and Pugsley, Phil's muffler, Myron's velvet-covered volkswagen, Clay Smith 3/4 grind cam, Hurst shift handle, "Brown Sugar", American Records, Der Weinerschnitzel, Tijuana Smalls, the Whittier Quad, Bali High and Friendly Hills, red angora and black terrycloth, fiberglass buckets and foam rubber, Huntington Beach (city or state?), push starts, road racing in La Habra heights, Dorthea Road, chrome megaphone exhaust tip, car fire at 50 mph, Westley's Car Polish (with dimethylpolysiloxane), heating the springs, and oh so much more...

Not Sherry

2006-10-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

I recently came across a great picture of the hot rocker, Pat Benatar, that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she and Sherry must be related. Posted here to let the world know - and since Sherry has not signed a model release and won't let me post her picture on this page, you'll just have to take my word for it.

[No. I don't know Pat and did not get her permission to post the photo. But I hope she doesn't mind.]

What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger

2006-10-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

Just before the end of September, my personal website - weidemannia.com - ran out of room on the free space I get with my Mindspring (now Earthlink) DSL service. After finding out they could not increase the space allocation - even though I have been a customer of theirs for almost 9 years, I bitched and moaned until they reduced my monthly bill by $10. While I appreciated the price break, I felt it was time for me to look for a formal web host.

Interestingly enough, the 3-year free web-hosting preview package with 1&1, that I had been using to host my world-famous Epiclectic's Vintage Vinyl website, was due to expire at the end of October. I received an email from them offering a conversion to a Linux Business hosting service for $7.95 a month. Economically, it made perfect sense since I just saved more than that by playing tough guy with Earthlink. The BIG plus, is that now I had 2000MB of web space to play with - which was more than enough to host ALL of my various weidemannia components that I previously had in 10Mb chunks for each of my Mindspring email addresses. In addition, the 1&1 package included 3 domains, unlimited email addresses, and all the bells and whistles that would let me hone my webmaster crafts once again.

Over the last 2 weeks, I have been FTPing all of my sites to my local hard disk, setting up the webspace on the new host server, and then FTPing everything back over to their new homes.

I restructured weidemannia.com, and transferred DNS to my 1&1 from my Register.com. This eliminated my need for URL forwarding. I'm excited about NOT having to limit my creativity to the minimal webspace I had previously.

Epiclectic.com moved over and was working great. Great, UNTIL the database went missing last Friday night. I could no longer access the site, and had no idea what went wrong. Because the site requires a mySQL database, and I had no idea how to even spell mySQL, I rolled up my sleeves and began doing my homework. To make a long story short, I figured out how to successfully upgrade my site's php software, build a new mySQL database, reinstall and configure the site to point to the new database, and restore the database from my previous backups. This last activity failed repeatedly with "internal server error" messages. My "ah HA" moment was when I discovered that there was a 2MB limit on importing data. So, I tried splitting my backup file into smaller pieces and worked like a charm. I love when logic actually works. The new, improved site was back on line Saturday afternoon. In addition, I activated an RSS feed that lets people subscribe to my site. Too cool!

[Insert deep breath.]

Well, its late Sunday night, and I'm heading to bed. But its nice to know that there are parts of my brain that still are able to come out of retirement "on demand", and solve what seem like impossible problems.

I feel good and inspires me to try other things that seem impossible.

Cyber-Museum of Scams and Frauds...

2006-09-27T01:39:00.000-07:00

"Quatloos.com is a public educational website covering a wide variety of financial scams and frauds, including wacky “prime bank” frauds, exotic foreign currency scams, offshore investment frauds, tax scams, “Pure Trust” structures and more..."

In addition to being a great read, you might just actually learn something. Make sure to pass this link on to at least 5 of your friends, if you sincerely wish good luck to come your way.

Sidebar: Oh, Vincent? We know who you are, what you do, and to whom you've done it. Shame on you. Big brother is watching and it is probably best you do the right thing to avoid legal issues. And, make sure you have yourself a great day!

The Apple Knockers and the Coke

2006-09-19T01:32:00.000-07:00

"Hardcore porn films have existed at least since the teens, circulated through private clubs and wealthy collectors. Ancient Hollywood gossip has it that Joan Crawford acted in several early stag films, including some with lesbian scenes. But one of the earliest star-attributed films to circulate widely was a nameless one-reel nudie loop purporting to depict a young Marilyn Monroe, who would have shot it around 1948, prior to her posing nude for the inaugural issue of Playboy. In the film, a lone young woman does a striptease, rolls an apple across her chest, and then sips a soda. Later dubbed The Apple Knockers and the Coke, it was distributed to colleges and cinemas in the early '70s by Grove Films, packaged in a collection of vintage erotic shorts and experimental works like Carolee Schneemann's Fuses. Today, it's recognized that Apple Knockers and several other so-called Monroe porn films depict another early Playboy model named Arline Hunter."

Only a handful of people will know why I posted this. The scary thing is how the subject came up, and how many years had passed since the "event went down". San Diego rocks!

Immortality

2006-07-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

This morning, my friend Skot, called with the sad news that one of our closest friends had been worn-down and defeated in his year-long battle with cancer. Bob had undergone every conceivable cancer treatment possible, including some experimental therapy at City of Hope, but his body was no longer able to fulfill its obligation. He passed away last night around midnight.

I find myself thinking a lot about the times Bob and I were able to share.

Like me, Bob was an avid rock-and-roller, music hound and collected records, and more recently was growing his CD and DVD collection. Being children of the 50's, we found our maturity together in late 60's high school. Our tastes in music were eerily aligned. He introduced me to Pink Floyd, Status Quo and Deep Purple. We listened to Quicksilver Messenger Service's "Happy Trails" album continuously in the high-school library at lunch. He's the only one of my close friends that bought a Mott the Hoople album on his own - in fact, he owned two of them. We worked at Tastee Freez together. We took the same drafting and graphic art classes. We shared creative juices. There must have been 10-15 years that Bob, Skot, Dave, Craig and I would spend 3 or 4 days camping in the Sierras - doing that annual male-bonding thing - acting like kids, singing "The Theme From Bangladesh" at the top of our lungs, playing wiffle ball at 10,000 feet, and throwing dozens of 501 Super Dupers into the frozen lakes and tarns in an attempt to catch a rainbow or brown. And this doesn't even scratch the surface...

We must have shared some brain-DNA - we just "clicked". Ever since we first became friends in 6th grade, our auras have been connected - even if there are a few years without making contact with each other. When Joy called us a year ago, to let us know of Bob's condition, we reconnected and began finishing the sentences we started years earlier.

Over the last year, the group got together a number of times to reminisce.

Fortunately, two weeks ago my wife, Sherry, and I were able to spend a quiet evening with he and Joy, his loving and caring wife of 27 years. We ate KFC, talked records, and backpacking, and cars, and relived shared memories from those many years ago as if they were yesterday. We didn't talk about the present - but cherished the past and penciled in our next get together.

That evening will close the final chapter of our shared lives - but its not over.

Do you know that feeling you get, when you hear a certain song on the radio, and you think back to a specific time and place, and who was there, and what you were doing, what you were smelling, and how you were feeling?

Well, I plan on listening to my Quicksilver, Mothers of Invention, Spooky Tooth, and Wishbone Ash albums, and remembering; and smiling.

Hope you are tuned into the same frequency, Bob, and be sure to let me know if you have any requests. The turntable is always ready.

Coining a Phrase

2006-07-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

While reading an article in Uncut magazine's July issue about the Scottish rock group "The 1990's", I laughed out loud when I read the follow quote from the band's Jamie McMorrow - "I just told my mum I was going to Brazil... she was flabbergasted. In fact, I think she gasted away all her flabber."

First time I have ever heard that phrase - and probably something I will begin to incorporate into my vocabulary. Love it.

On a related note, when I was but a wee lad (can you be a wee lad growing up in Southern California - or is that reserved for Europeans?), and learning to read, can you guess the first multi-syllable word that I successfully pronounced phonetically, while amazing myself and parents? Believe it or not - "flabbergasted".

Perhaps that's why the decomposition of the word caught my attention. Don't let it gast your flabber. I like that!

Today's IDGAS List

2006-06-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

Star Jones' mental state or business decisions. Naomi Campbell's blathering about her return from the dark side. Tyra Banks - just on principle alone. Ashlee's nose. Pictures of celebrity babies and the idiots who pay money to buy the magazines to see them. Who will lead Tommy Lee's new band.

Big Irritant: Interviews where the interviewee is intentionally looking away from the camera. Not artsy - just annoying.

Have a nice day!

Somebody Congratulate Me!

2006-06-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

It's gotta be my lucky day... look what I received in my email today:

The Coca-cola National Lottery
1 Queen Caroline Street
Hammersmith
London, W6 9HQ
(Customer Services)
Ref Number: UK/9420X2/70
Batch Number: 074/05/ZY345

Dear Winner,

We are pleased to notify you the draw (#1032) of the COCA-COLA INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY, Online Coca-cola International Lottery Program held on Saturday.

Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from a pool of over 25,000 names of distinguished professionals drawn from Europe, America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-East, parts of Africa, and North & South America as part of our international promotions programme conducted every week, to encourage the consumption of our commodity (Coca-cola). The internet emailing idea was used, since most people do are not able to purchase tickets and play outside the UK. We hope with part of your prize awards, you will pathronise the coca-cola commodity with all means, as the most refreshing drink for all seasons.

The result of our computer draw (#1032) selected your name and email address attached to e-ticket number: 56475612545 187 with Serial number 5368/03 drew the lucky numbers: 02-03-13-16-18-20 (Bonus number 23) which subsequently won you the lottery in the 1st category i.e. match 6.

You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of #1,000,000 (One million pounds sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/07.This is from a total cash prize of #2,000,000 (Two million pounds sterling), shared between you and one other winner in this category i.e. Match 6.

Your prize award has been insured in your email and is ready for claims. To begin your claims therefore, you are advised to expeditiously contact our licensed and accredited claim agent for Overseas Lottery Winners within a period of 13 days (date of this email inclusive) for the processing of your winning and remittance to your designated bank account after all statutory obligations have been satisfactorily dispensed with.

This promotion takes place weekly. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our European booklet representative office in Europe as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your #1,000,000 (One million pounds sterling) would be released to you by any of our payment offices in Europe.

Please be informed that claims not processed within the stipulated period may be forfeited to the pool without further notice. Our European agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. You may wish to establish contact via e-mail with the particulars presented below sending the batch and reference numbers and these informations below for quick verifications and release of funds. between the hours of 8.00am - 7.30pm on Monday through Sunday

Overseas Claims Unit
United Kingdom Coca-cola Lottery Fiduciary Contact Person: Agent. Mrs Liane Johnson
Email: agent.lianejohnson@yahoo.ie
Phone: +447024055717
Fax : +447092864131

Our winners are assured of the utmost standards of confidentiality, and press anonymity until the end of proceedings, and beyond where they so desire. Be further advised to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality until the end of proceedings to circumvent problems associated with fraudulent claims. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Any lottery double claim dedected by our monitoring committee will lead to the Uk national lottery cacelling the winnings. making a loss for both the real winner, and the fake (intended) claimer.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

At your disposal, we remain.
Very Truly Yours,

Susan Moore
The Coca-colca Lottery organizers
1 Queen Caroline Street
Hammersmith
London, W6 9HQ.
Tel: +447024055709
Fax:+44 871 661 8831

Thanks For The Hype

2006-05-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

Ok. The release of the movie "The Da Vinci Code" is creating turmoil and anxiety all over the world. So, I decided to read the book once again, before Sherry and I go to see the flick. While it usually may take me a week or two to slog through a 450 page novel, I felt unusually inspired and started and finished the book at one sitting last Saturday. Once again, I thought it was a great read. Went and checked out some of the trailers, and what I saw Ron Howard put together was very much what my mind's eye had imagined.

Did you know?

2006-04-01T10:52:00.000-08:00

It is an absolute FACT, that annually, on April 1st (April Fools Day) over 34.7% of the world's population will be convinced of some unbelievable statistic or unfathomable truth that they read about on the omniscient Internet.

OVER 34.7%!!!

I sit here shaking my head in disbelief, amazed by the throngs of gullible people allowed to occupy space on this planet. Outrageous. Just who the hell ARE these people?

For The Public Record

2006-02-18T17:32:00.000-08:00

Decided it was time to let the world know what a piece-of-crap a custom made, goose-down filled sofa from La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries looks like. After waiting 5 months for delivery after we ordered this, we quickly discovered that not only does the sofa look like an unmade bed once you stand up, in a matter of days, the feathers actually start sticking through the fabric.

After many calls to La-Z-Boy, they sent someone out to examine the couch, and agreed that it shouldn't look like that, or be "leaking" feathers. So, a month later, they delivered brand new cushion inserts. Think that fixed it? Nope - it returned to its original condition in a matter of days.

What happened to the local La-Z-Boy store? Its been demolished. Word to the wise - NEVER, I REPEAT NEVER GET A SOFA WITH DOWN-FILLED CUSHIONS!

[Apologies to my friends who have heard this story way too many times and are wondering why we don't just shitcan it and get a new sofa.]

ExtraTyrastrial Lifeform

2006-01-27T00:56:00.000-08:00

I knew there was something a bit odd about this unexplained phenomenon - and now I think I've figured it out. Is America's Top Model out of this world, or a genuine space cadet? YOU DECIDE FOR YOURSELF!

Ron's Football Pool 2005-2006

2006-01-04T17:35:00.000-08:00

I had no idea that the NFL was actually sponsoring illegal gambling on the Internet. Or am I missing something...

Requisite Message

2006-01-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry. I am making no attempt to summarize last year's events, or forecast results for the upcoming annum. You've already heard the greeting from everyone you know and care about, so some anonymous wish from the Internet will not make or break things. But, I still hope you have one.

It's a Wonderful Life!

2005-12-16T22:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from the Weidemannians

Buzz Game: Standings - Current

2005-12-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

How about that! As of today, my excellent trading skills and long history of investments put me in the top 7%. I'll have to stop by every once and a while to see where this goes. Perhaps there is yet another career in my future...

Hot or Not Tips

2005-12-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

I've had a link on my dropping crumbs page for years pointing to the "Hot or Not" website. When its time to escape the life of a loan officer, and kill a few minutes on the computer, rather than boot up some first-person, online, roll-playing shooter bloodfest, I put on my god-hat and make subjective decisions on who at the moment is worthy and who is not worthy of being considered "hot".

Well, I've thought about this a lot and I have come to the conclusion that there are a bajillion idiots out there in this world who think if they post their picture and let the world vote, they will come away with the knowledge of which limb on the 1-to-10 tree of life their name is etched. I wonder how many of them "cuties" posted their picture, without thinking of how they would fare. There are a lot of unsavory pictures on the site.

If you are considering posting YOUR picture, in the interest of coaching for success, let me offer my personal tips and tricks on what you can do to be rated as "hot". Or better yet, let me list the specific things that annoy the hell out of me, and will get you an extremely low score when I'm in charge of pushing the button:

YOU WILL LOSE POINTS FOR:

- Pierced nose, lip, tongue, eyebrow. Its just not right.
- Tattoos larger than a quarter. Murals are for museums and churches.
- Hats or caps of any kind. A 10 with a hat is a 2 in my book.
- Goofy expressions and pucker, kissy faces. Goofy is not hot. Got it?
- Hand signs, peace signs, gang signs. Appears like a handicap.
- Overabundance of exposed weight; the "ripple effect" of low-rise jeans.
- Cleavage for cleavage sake is NOT necessarily hot.
- Black fingernails. May be great among the goths - but not the hots.
- Protruding tongue. Keep your tongue in in your mouth.
- Costumes. Fairy wings will not turn a sow into a silk purse.
- Thrift store chic. Mismatched colors not found in nature - not hot.
- Avoiding the camera. For heaven sake, look at the camera.
- Red eyes. Neither the pupils or whites should be red. Scary.
- Kids in the picture. Sorry, may be cute as bugs, but buzz kills.
- Taking the picture of yourself in the mirror, including the camera. Stupid.
- Dinky images or out of focus. We know what you are trying to hide.
- Orientation. Not sexual. Upload the picture sideways? Lose a point.
- Being a Slob. Clean up your freakin' room before you snap the shot!

YOU CAN GAIN POINTS FOR:

- Nice, pleasant and natural smile.
- Posing for the picture. Make it important to you.
- Skin is always welcome, but in moderation, please.
- Hair that has seen a comb and shampoo recently.
- Cleavage, when it enhances the total package.
- Natural tan - not leathered or bottled.
- Personality. We can tell.
- Punctuation and grammar. Use proper case. Intelligent is hot.
- Composition. No reason to have the top of your head cut off.

There. I said it. I needed to get that off my chest.

So, let me suggest you print out a copy of this list, and then take a few minutes and visit the site. If you don't have it added to your favorites already you can find it at http://www.hotornot.com. Let me know if I'm off base, or if there are some other pet peeves you have that need to be added to the list.

Have fun!

Bird Flu Protection Package

2005-11-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

Flu Protection Package : Super Value!!! This Exclusive Package combines our recommended products for an INCREDIBLE PRICE! Makes a TERRIFIC GIFT!!

College students residing in dorms and attending classes.
Family members living in urban areas and apartment buildings.
Seniors Citizens.
Employees working in office buildings.
Those who interact with the public.

Each Flu Protection Package Contains the Following:
One Carton, 20 pieces Regular Size 3M N95 Protective face Masks,Model1860
Qty. 6- Bottles of 4 oz. Purell Hand Sanitizer.
Qty. 1-Bottles of 16.9oz Avagard D Instant hand Antiseptic
Qty. 6 -Bottles of 7.5 oz. Pump Bottle Liquid Dial Gold Antibacterial Soap.
Qty. 3-Tubs PDI Super Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable Wipes
Regularly Priced $184.95

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE: $159.95

Plus Applicable Tax, Shipping and Handling

If you are as terrified as I of the impending pandemic (love that word), I encourage you to take advantage of this special, timely offer. Destined to go the way of the pet rock, and chia pets.

National Geographicstradomus - October 2004

2005-09-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Louisiana bayou, hardest working marsh in America, is in big trouble with dire consequences for residents, the nearby city of New Orleans, and seafood lovers everywhere.

It was a broiling August afternoon in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Big Easy, the City That Care Forgot. Those who ventured outside moved as if they were swimming in tupelo honey. Those inside paid silent homage to the man who invented air-conditioning as they watched TV "storm teams" warn of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Nothing surprising there: Hurricanes in August are as much a part of life in this town as hangovers on Ash Wednesday.

But the next day the storm gathered steam and drew a bead on the city. As the whirling maelstrom approached the coast, more than a million people evacuated to higher ground. Some 200,000 remained, however—the car-less, the homeless, the aged and infirm, and those die-hard New Orleanians who look for any excuse to throw a party.

The storm hit Breton Sound with the fury of a nuclear warhead, pushing a deadly storm surge into Lake Pontchartrain. The water crept to the top of the massive berm that holds back the lake and then spilled over. Nearly 80 percent of New Orleans lies below sea level—more than eight feet below in places—so the water poured in. A liquid brown wall washed over the brick ranch homes of Gentilly, over the clapboard houses of the Ninth Ward, over the white-columned porches of the Garden District, until it raced through the bars and strip joints on Bourbon Street like the pale rider of the Apocalypse. As it reached 25 feet (eight meters) over parts of the city, people climbed onto roofs to escape it.

Thousands drowned in the murky brew that was soon contaminated by sewage and industrial waste. Thousands more who survived the flood later perished from dehydration and disease as they waited to be rescued. It took two months to pump the city dry, and by then the Big Easy was buried under a blanket of putrid sediment, a million people were homeless, and 50,000 were dead. It was the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States.

When did this calamity happen? It hasn't—yet. But the doomsday scenario is not far-fetched. The Federal Emergency Management Agency lists a hurricane strike on New Orleans as one of the most dire threats to the nation, up there with a large earthquake in California or a terrorist attack on New York City. Even the Red Cross no longer opens hurricane shelters in the city, claiming the risk to its workers is too great.

Need A Loan??!!

2005-08-08T22:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a mockup of the commercial we are thinking of running in order to draw more people to our company, and let us refinance their homes. What do you think?

You Know You are an Old Draftsperson When...

2005-08-04T00:02:00.000-07:00

You know how to control line weights by rolling your pencil.
You know that a French curve isn't a grade change on a language exam.
You remember when blueprints were blue.
You've erased sepias with chemicals.
You know a scumbag isn't just a derogatory comment about someone.
You know what drafting dots are and how to use them.
You know that a Leroy Lettering Set is not an ACAD font.
You've had a roll of toilet paper on your drafting board.
You remember when templates were plastic and not a type of electronic file.
You know what sandpaper on a stick is for.
You know that a compass draws circles and not used to find the North Pole.
You remember the head rush from the smell of ammonia.
You own a roll of masking tape so dried out, it will never be tape again.
You've played with a drafting dot ball.
You know what the phrase "asses and elbows" means.
You've done cut and paste with scissors and sticky back.
You've etched your initials into your tools.
You have had a brush tied to your drafting board.
You've come home with black sleeves.
You've made hooks out of paper clips to attach to your lamp.
You know an eraser shield isn't a Norton program.
You've used "fixative" spray.
You've had a middle-finger callous harder than bone.
The words "sepia changes" still gives you a headache.
You've used Pounce.
You've used a "ships curve".
You've used a "Folding-Bone" before.
Having an Ames lettering guide and never using it.
You've worn out the bristles of your drafting brush.
You made a rubber-band ball that is now quite hairy.
You resisted moving from linen to mylar.
Chiselpoint was the sign of experience and craftsmanship.

And finally...

You have a permanent spine curvature from bending over your table.

Thanks to Leonard Eastwood for helping remember the simple days...

Friday Random Ten

2005-05-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

Being a follower and not a leader, once again Jeff has nudged me into action. Instructions are as follow: Fire up your music player. Set to random play. List the first ten songs. Ok, here is what I came up with on the first go...

1. Darkness Darkness - Mott the Hoople
2. Simple - Phish
3. Siren Song - Alan Parsons
4. Moved On (Album Version) Brian M. Weidemann
5. I Couldn't Get High - The Fugs
6. Squad Car - Eddie & The Showmen
7. Secret of the Bloom - Victoria
8. The World's Address - They Might Be Giants
9. Born Under A Bad Sign - William Bell
10. Join Together - The Who

What's in YOUR player?

Superficial Perception and Apologies

2005-04-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

Every day, when I launch my browser, I am greeted with the Google News homepage. This allows me to scan the headlines quickly and see if there is anything that catches my interest. It has headlines, organized in categories, along with thumbnail photos to accent the storyline.

I fully realize it is completely inappropriate to judge a book by the cover, but I have determined that there are only 3 photographs of John R. Bolton in circulation; and that white mustache, and the Trumpian hair style give him a cartoon-like appearance. I'm not making fun of him or questioning his qualifications for the job in question; I'm strictly talking about how the papparazzi are capturing the man.

I don't know if he's going to be appointed or not, but in either case, he needs to place a call to Extreme Makeover - DC Edition and get some guidance. Not that he's in need of plastic surgery or such, but a bit of attention could work wonders at improving the variety of photographs being released.

Please accept my apologies for this cheap shot.

[If he wants my input, I would recommend a 3/8" buzz cut, myself.]

Waving The Stick

2005-03-31T21:53:00.000-08:00

OK. For those of you who might be reading this who are extremely sensitive to animal rights, this posting is NOT about the spanking of monkeys or choking of chicken-like fowl.

It is in reference to a web-based baton that was handed to me by my dear friend Jeff. It's actually about a meme - Look it up.

Being a nice guy, and always willing to do what I am asked to do, I am about to share my responses to seven simple questions with at least the English-reading world. If you know me well, you understand my true passions lie more closely to audio-based and creative-design interests, rather than mass consumption of the printed word. Hence, you might detect a slant to my answers. For your enjoyment, here are my offerings...

1. You're stuck inside Farenheit 451, which book do you want to be?

While not a "best seller" by any means, I would like to commit the entire Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records, 1950-1975 to memory. With vinyl record collection as my primary guilty pleasure, it would be absolutely wonderful to be able to identify rare, unusual and highly desireable albums while traveling the country visiting garage sales and thrift stores. My ability to recall the most obscure details related to catalog numbers, label design and one-hit-wonders would amaze and amuse my friends for hours. It would also help return my fingers and thumbs to baby's bottom smoothness, instead of the calloused, paper-cut digits I now use to frantically turn pages in the 1300 page book. Earth shaking stuff, huh?

2. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?

Well, I wouldn't consider it a "crush", but an impressionable lead character in one of the first "dirty books" I read as a 17 year old kid, Naked Came The Stranger, was named Penelope Ashe. For some reason, I think I identified with her protracted adventures. I knew that the entire novel was a scam and put-on, and it was probably one of the formative causes of my off-kilter sense of humor; having subsequently developed an intense interest in Harvard Lampoon, National Lampoon, Monty Python, Firesign Theatre, and other such satirical sources.

3. The last book you bought is:

Macromedia Flash MX Advanced. Sometimes, you have to read for the purpose of gaining knowledge in a subject, and not soley for the pleasure of escaping the daily grind in some fantasy world. And better yet, its a work-related tax deduction!

4. The last book you read:

If we are talking "sat down, took your shoes off, settled into the big comfy chair and cracked the cover of a novel, and read it cover-to-cover in a matter of a day or two", it would have to be the coffee table book, Hippie, by Barry Miles, a nostalgic look at the years 1965 and 1971. However, as an alternative, there is ALWAYS a book on the tank in the men's room to occupy my predictably-segmented reading style. That would be Marshall Crenshaw's Hollywood Rock - A Guide to Rock & Roll in the Movies.

5. What are you currently reading?

My son Brian, who has been heavily influenced by my sense of humor and interests, gifted me just yesterday with Eric Idle's latest tome The Greedy Bastard Tour Diary. You just gotta love those Pythons. And it turns out it is ALL about the money!

6. Five books you would take to a deserted island:

The Complete Works of M.C. Escher - Ever since 7th grade, I've been fascinated with his designs, and could spend the rest of my days emulating his work with sharp sticks and drawings in the virgin sand of my island beach. Let me gaze at his artwork - words not required.

The Bible - I read it cover to cover for a "Bible as literature" class in high school once and have wanted to do it again. Assuming I'm stuck on the island, I would no doubt have time to give it another shot...

National Geographic - I know, technically its not a book. But I look at it as a serialized novel, distributed in monthly editions... right? So please allow me to have the entire collection.

* A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson - I received this as a gift a year ago, and for some reason never got a chance to reading it. It promises to be one of those books that would get me thinking - which is something I need to do more of.

A Blank Folio - I need a place to be able to exercise my creativity. All of that stimulating reading would get my juices flowing, and I want to be able to sketch, draw, write, and doodle. I get a few dozen sharpened #2 pencils, right? This book might prove enlightening to those in the rescue party who find my lifeless, sun-parched carcass splayed on a sandcrab-infested rock, scurrying about looking for crumbs of flesh to take home to their offspring. [Please accept my apologies for attempting humor at the time of my demise.]

7. To whom are you going to pass this stick (3 persons) and why?

My son Brian, because he is one of the most intellectual people I know - looking forward to his post. The stick will also be passed to my Houstonian friend Mike; a kindred spirit of change who is the first person to ever suggest that I look into blogging. Finally, Robert, who is the most world-traveled and genuinely kind person I know on the planet.

So there. I waved my stick and am not ashamed of it at all.

A Million Butterflies

2005-03-26T23:30:00.000-08:00

Experienced a rather interesting phenomenon here in Lake Forest today.

After I put in a few hours at work this morning, I walked outside around noon to head home and noticed an extraordinary number of butterflies heading in a westerly direction. There was no real wind to speak of, but it looked almost as if they were migrating. I didn't know butterflies migrated. Didn't give it much thought, and figured they were blowing in from the strawberry fields adjacent to the office.

Well, 6 hours later, when I headed up to Home Depot, they were still flocking!!! And everyone I spoke with had also noticed them and thought it rather odd. Perhaps it was triggered by the cessation of all the rain we've had this season, and the resulting preponderance of flowers showing up on almost anything that grows around here. Hell, even Death Valley has rolling fields of blossoms.

I haven't had the news on, but I am curious to see how widespread the butterfly migration was, or even if they will still be on the move tomorrow...

Did you see them in your area today? Leave me a comment.

JUST SAY NO TO REALITY

2005-03-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

Let it hereby be known, that I have taken a solemn oath to never, ever again, sit and watch the mindless crap that's spewing across the airwaves and satellite signals to be displayed with all its annoying high-definition pathos, under the name of "reality programming".

I find that pointing a camera at people in everyday situations, and instructing them to ignore the camera as they pour out their heart and soul about how their parents were both put in prison while they lived out of a car at the age of 17 and had nothing to their name; to people who have absolutely no interest in caring what is being said, but rather about how they will come across to the rest of their teammates and hopefully not be the weakest link in the chain and get fired by the toupee-jock known as Trump... ceases to maintain my interest. Just like the poorly constructed, run on sentence that you maybe just read.

No matter what real-life situation insanity you might conjur up out of a fever dream, there is some producer ready to put it on film, and sell it to a network.

And the absolutely amazing thing to me is that people get HOOKED to watching each and every episode; as if it matters in their life; as if it was the unfolding of personal stories from someone in their family. Just who out there identifies with the people on Maury Povich's schockfest anyway? It'a ain't entertainment, Mo!

It's a big world and everyone has a right to watch or not watch what they wish.

I have just made it my choice to shun the shit. Give me a sitcom, or drama or movie that actually has a plot, characters, complexity and intelligence. I feel like popping in my Napolean Dynamite DVD.

DeWalloping Complete!

2005-02-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

Less (distraction) is more (relaxing).

In an effort to begin purging myself of the clutter collecting in my personal mental garage, I decided to voluntarily remove myself from Microsoft's Wallop development portal test team.

Not that I have anything against the people or the environment, but because I just don't feel like spending the time there any more. There are so many hours in the day, and I find less and less time that I choose to devote to these communal sharing environments.

Am I becoming anti-social? Maybe. But in this particular case, I found that more and more of the posts were showing up in Chinese. Since I am NOT proficient in Chinese - either reading or speaking (but I do enjoy eating Chinese) - it became uninteresting.

So, I have voluntarily changed my behavior in this case. Wonder what behavior will be next on my "to trim" list.

FantasyLandMortgage.com

2005-01-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

When you thought you couldn't find anyone to give you a loan, along comes the best site on the internet. Good for a laugh.

Seasons Greetings!

2004-12-23T01:34:00.000-08:00

Wishing everyone our best wishes and kindest thoughts to you and your loved ones during this holiday season.

2004 has been a year of transition for us. As a result, 2005 offers us new roads to travel, adventures to enjoy, and much needed freedom and independence. Things are looking good.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Used CHA Mark 50 Ebeam Evaporator - For Sale

2004-12-17T00:29:00.000-08:00

For some strange reason, it seemed important that I share this rare opportunity with the world. Act quickly before it is no longer available.

(I would have bought it, but I already own 2 of them.)

epiclecticity expands

2004-12-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

Always one to experiment, I have created yet another personal space on the internet. I'm feeling not unlike a dog that is cruising around the neighborhood, peeing on various trees, rocks and leaves in an attempt to stake out my territory. My latest "deposit" is a new blog using the beta MSN Spaces. Add this to my collection of Blogger, Wallop, Flickr and hand-built web pages.

My initial reaction is that it is fairly easy to configure. Like the concept of selecting which modules I want to use - without having to venture behind the scenes into the template code to configure the layout. As I get older, I appreciate being able to do things with less mandatory knowledge of programming and code.

So, I am thinking about using this new site - epiclecticity- as a place for me to post my Fantasy Vinyl artwork. It has previously been on my to-do list as another Blogger site, but will see if this meets my needs.

What the Phinnaeus?

2004-11-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

"Psychologist Cleveland Kent Evans, who studies names and their social effects, says the unusual-name trend among celebrities is a kind of self-reinforcing phenomenon. 'I don't think of these names as coming just from celebrities so much as coming from creative celebrities, or at least those that want to be thought of as creative,' he says. 'It's the musicians and actresses and to some extent the visual artists who give those sorts of names to their children. You don't find the politicians and athletes giving names like that to their kids.' "

Whether you give a rats-about Julia Roberts or not, everyone will have an opinion about the names she has chosen for her new twins. When you decide to reproduce, be kind when selecting a name. While you might think its cute or trendy, imagine what your offspring will be thinking when they are having the crap beat out of them on the playground for being "different".

Thanks, mom and dad, for giving me a name that I have always liked - Steve.

Staring at Computers May Cause Glaucoma

2004-11-16T14:37:00.000-08:00

Researchers warned that there could be a drastic rise in the number of glaucoma cases if action was not taken to evaluate people who spend long time in front of screens and have existing eye conditions. 'Computer stress is reaching higher levels than have ever been experienced before,' the team from the Toho University School of Medicine in Tokyo said." By Charles Arthur / The Independent / 11/16/04 10:00 AM PT

Hmmmm. So, if I recall from my intense medical training and my highly-perceptive understanding of human nature, it is highly likely we will see hundreds of grassroot organizations begin movements and create petitions to make medicinal use of marijuana legal for computer geeks. However, if you ask me, I think a good parental website filter would probably do a better job of helping these geeks keep their eyesight intact.

FOREVERPET Launches Lowest Priced Cat Cloning

2004-10-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

ForeverPet, a division of Geneticas Life Sciences, today announced the launch of the ForeverPet cat cloning service for cat owners. Priced at $19,950 this new cloning service is the most economically priced of all cat cloning services currently on the market, and adds cat cloning to ForeverPet’s other services, including DNA cell banking and horse cloning. ForeverPet, under the slogan “For More Than A Lifetime”, allows pet owners to cryopreserve a tiny biopsy that safely preserves their pet’s DNA for future use in the production of an identical clone.

IMPORTANT: If you are going to clone your cat, you have to be focused when you shop around - and make sure you go with the most economical service. Just imagine the wonders that a low-cost contractor could do with your cat's DNA.

evhead

2004-10-04T22:11:00.000-07:00

evhead: "So, while I think I'm likely to start another company sometime, I'm forcing myself to be non-committal at the moment. My goal is to develop some perspective, learn new things, rest, and explore (which, of course, will make me more certain that it will be the right thing if/when I do get around to starting something else). Not that I won't be doing things -- I expect to do some 'projects.' I don't plan to disappear from the web or Internet or blogging (although, I'm not committing to anything, mind you). I still think it's an incredibly exciting time, and we've only scratched the surface. (Duh.)"

It seems as if quite a few people are going through this introspection thing. Nice to know it happens to the best of us - and the neat thing is that he's doing it at 32 years of age. Read Ev's entire posting.

Time For Change

2004-09-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

After more than 5 years on the web, I believe its time to give weidemannia a major design overhaul. I realize that very few people actually ever get to this page - and are even reading what I am posting, but as a courtesy to those few of you out there, I thought I would let you know what's going on.

Over the next few weeks, you will find parts of the site that either disappear completely, or are restructured. This is driven by my need to intentionally force change and improvement; the ultimate goal being to create something that actually HAS some meaning.

Design parameters: Clean. Whitespace. No frames (this will be a major change for me). Improved content.

Anyway... the construction crews will be arriving any time. Later, dudes.

Time for Earthquakes

2004-09-08T15:58:00.000-07:00

Well, judging from the clouds visible out my office window, my personal meteorologist has warned me we should expect earthquakes very soon.

So, not wanting to get into an argument about her cosmic abilities, I decided to record her prediction with a timestamp here in the blog.

Consider this a warning if your here in Southern California.

ABOUT FANTASY VINYL

2004-08-20T22:28:00.000-07:00

If you frequent weidemannia, you might have noticed the past few postings titled "Fantasy Vinyl". [If you missed them, check out the links on the Previous Posts listing on the right-hand menu.]

On first glance, they seem like regular album covers. Right? But if you are perceptive - and I think you are - you will have determined that some of the faces shown on the covers don't seem to match the images in your memory. And you are right. [If you click the Fantasy album cover, you will see the original album cover for comparison.]

MY GOAL: Alter history for the better!

OFFER - I would love to create a personalized, custom album cover for YOU, too! Simply drop me an email, attach a few of your pictures you would like me to incorporate, let me know which album cover you want "enhanced", and I'll create your cover for absolutely NO CHARGE for the time being. Browse my gallery of album covers at Epiclectic's Vintage Vinyl - to get some ideas.

Wouldn't it be great to not only tell your friends you were with the band, but you can SHOW THEM THE ALBUM COVER TO PROVE IT?

MY MISSION: To Make YOU Smile. Period.

ABOUT FANTASY VINYL

2004-07-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

If you frequent weidemannia, you might have noticed the past few postings titled "Fantasy Vinyl". [If you missed them, check out the links on the Previous Posts listing on the right-hand menu.]

On first glance, they seem like regular album covers. Right? But if you are perceptive - and I think you are - you will have determined that some of the faces shown on the covers don't seem to match the images in your memory. And you are right. [If you click the Fantasy album cover, you will see the original album cover for comparison.]

My goal is to alter the history of music as we know it!

OFFER - I would love to create a personalized, custom album cover for YOU, too! Just drop me an email, attaching a few images you would like me to incorporate, let me know which album cover you want "enhanced", and I'll give it a shot. No charge - at least for the time being.

Wouldn't it be great to not only tell your friends you were with the band, but show them the album cover to PROVE IT?

Browse my growing gallery of album covers at Epiclectic's Vintage Vinyl. They might give you some ideas.

MY MISSION: To Make YOU Smile. Period.

A Bug In My Past

2004-07-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

While some people enjoy researching their family trees to get a glimpse at how exactly their ancestors paired up and recreated, I wonder how many people discover they are members of the class "insecta" - as are those of us in the "Weidemannia" genus.

Very interesting evolutionary path, don't you think?

A Little Dab'll Do Ya!

2004-07-12T00:57:00.000-07:00

City Approval Required

2004-07-11T01:40:00.000-07:00

While reviewing the Lake Forest City website, came across this interesting piece of information for those of you who might be thinking about opening up a business in the city.

BUSINESS LICENSE NOT REQUIRED - The City does not require businesses to obtain a business license in order to operate. However, certain businesses require City approval. If you plan to conduct any of the following business activities, please contact the Orange County Sheriff Department at (714) 647-1868 for a Law Enforcement Review.
- Bingo
- Coin dealer
- Dance instructor/dance studio
- Escort/escort bureau
- Figure model, nude/figure model studio
- Gun dealer
- Interlocutrix, nude
- Introductory service
- Junk collector/junk dealer
- Massagist
- Peddler
- Pool room
- Public bath/massage parlor
- Public dance
- Rap session, nude
- Secondhand dealer/thrift store/pawn shop
- Taxicab stand

Today's Word: fetid

2004-07-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

Montara Mtn Plants Family List Part 4
Scoliopus bigelovii
Fetid Adder's Tongue
(Slink Pod)

Independence Day

2004-07-04T09:33:00.000-07:00

Take time to reflect on and appreciate everything you have.

Has It Been 30 Years Already?

2004-06-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

Well, it arrived in the mail today, and couldn't have come at a better time. I've been doing a lot of reflecting recently, and remembering the past 30 years, it's comforting to know that some things remain with you your entire life. Without warning, a simple song can instantly trigger vivid and emotional memories. I can't imagine what a day going by without music would be like, and this double-CD set brings back a plethora of pleasantries from '74.

FACT: Mott The Hoople was the very FIRST rock and roll band to play Broadway. Sony UK has just released a remastered and enhanced 2-CD package of that quintessential live concert from 30 years ago.

"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. If you own only ONE Mott The Hoople CD, this MUST be IT!" - weidemannia - Buy it on Amazon.com.

Timely Reminder

2004-06-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

Are You a Gentleman?

2004-06-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

Would you flick your Bic for this chick? Click the pic.

Happy Birthday Ian

2004-06-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IAN HUNTER
from all of us at weidemannia and threeFOUR.

[Photo from his early years - generously borrowed by a fan.]

TAKE a minute and visit ianhunter.com and see what he's up to TODAY. Perhaps his current tour will take him near your town.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED LISTENING!

Do You Like Boston?

2004-05-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

Like Boston? Then give a listen to Brian's latest in-the-works tune, Distraction. More importantly, if you like what you hear, click the pic to visit his site and let him know.

Reunited At Last

2004-05-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

Finally, after all these years, the secret is out...

I HAVE A TWIN BROTHER! (By the way, that's me on the right.)

Pete: Drop me a note, and maybe we can get together for coffee next time you're in town, and catch up on the past.

Please?

2004-05-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

Damaged Members

2004-05-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

"Damaged members: During erection, straighten or replace members which are bent, twisted, or damaged as directed. If heating is required, perform heating by methods that ensure a uniform temperature throughout the entire member. When directed, remove members damaged to an extent impairing appearance, strength, or serviceability and replace with new members at no extra cost to the Owner."

I think I've been proof reading the specifications a bit too long, since this particular paragraph seemed to strike me as a bit "off".

Suitable for Flaming

2004-05-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the US Postal Service, I became the proud recipient of this wonderful reminder of our leader's opinion of the American people. However, I wonder how many people took the time to understand the "real" message being sent.

[Return to Sender]

CopyPunchBind

2004-04-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

Well, the logo has been designed, and the company mission has been defined: CopyPunchBind 24.7.365. Once the seed money has been collected, the yet-to-be-established, state-of-the-art, web-based, high-performance printing shops will be popping up in co-locations all over the country. Look for the CPB kiosk at your corner gas station, the 7-11 and Starbucks.

Get in on the ground floor buy purchasing CPB merchandise, and wearing the uniform before it becomes fashionable.

Note: This is in no way affiliated CopyPrintBind. kvk

Double Your Fun

2004-04-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

Jane always said she wanted to get laid twice in one day, and had promised Johnny a taste of her sweet melons in return. Well, this must be their lucky day!

Dodge Kahuna

2004-04-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

DODGE KAHUNA CONCEPT - While this is only another one of them great concept cars from Dodge, you can bet your ass that they will sell like hotcakes in Southern California - if and when they become available. Even Sherry "loveoxo" thinks it looks pre-teee sweeeet. But just odd enough to keep the old folks away...

The Strangest Secret

2004-03-18T21:32:00.000-08:00

2004-03-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

Ponder this.

Teddy Bear's Picnic

2004-03-04T22:35:00.000-08:00

REVIEW - Visionbox Pictures: Teddy Bears' Picnic

Well, not every cake made with all of the world's best ingredients comes out tasting right. Sometimes its the amount of each component added to the mix; in other instances, its the amount of time you spend stirring and mixing before you bake; othertimes, its getting some funky flavor that is "off putting".

Unfortunately, while I had all the best hopes for Harry Shearer's new DVD, it is one that I have now watched once, and will probably not pop in the player until a few years go by, and my failing memory seems to recall this really funny movie from the past. Sorry, Harry.

Remember that outrageous classic comedy "TunnelVision"?

Choose Balance

2004-01-29T21:59:00.000-08:00

Destined to become the war cry of the disenchanted individuals who have transcended the spin of the corporate world, and discovered what is really important in the long run.

Merchandise from the Life Work Balance shop makes wonderful and thoughtful gifts for those who are teetering close to the edge. Is there someone you know that spends much to much time on the job? Perhaps a frisbee, or BBQ apron will jar them back to reality. Or why not a simple clock for the office?

Teddy Bear's Picnic Coming

2004-01-22T22:50:00.000-08:00

Visionbox Pictures: Teddy Bears' Picnic

A new film by Harry Shearer coming to DVD in February 2004. Sounds like one of those cult films that everyone will be talking about next year. You heard it here first, right?