Gleeful Gecko

Health and Safety and the Death of England

Brett — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:00:52 +0000

While I lived in the UK I fell in love with the many eccentric old English traditions and some modern ones as well. Bog snorkeling, cheese rolling, village to village ball games, conkers and many more fun things that make England England. The arch enemy of all these events are the sad old blue hairs that are attempting kill all fun in England, the Health and Safety folks. Well, Health and Safety has claimed another scalp as they have shut down the Cheese Rolling event. In ten years England will be safer than any Disney park and the beer will be in safe metric mugs. I will weep when the last bastion of England falls for it was once a glorious country.

Summer of Fear 2010: Wolves

Brett — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:35:10 +0000

A startling new entrant has entered this year’s summer of fear contest. After years of being compared to kittens, wolves have gotten sick of it and downed a jogger. This is only second time wolves have been accused of killing a person in modern history and a bear is suspected in the other attack. Not to make light of the jogger’s death, but it is amazing to me how safe our world has become that at least as far other predators are concerned.

Astro-squirrels, What Are These Cunning Beasts Up To Now?

Brett — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:31:02 +0000

Squirrel science continues to advance rapidly in their plot to take over the world. We can laugh today at their early attempts to build space suits, but how long before they have mastered space as easily as they have mastered water skiing? I, for one, will not be welcoming our bushy tailed overlords.

Good Lessig Talk About Conservatives.

Brett — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:32:39 +0000

Good talk by Larry Lessig that points out why I have such a hard time choosing a political party.

A Muppet Wicker Man

Brett — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:08:06 +0000

Just what it says on the tin. Based on the real Wicker Man movie, not the Nick Cage one. Very well done. Read in the full size.

Squirrels Continue Their Assault on Culture

Brett — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:47:27 +0000

Squirrels become more and more brazen in their assaults on our planetary domination. After failing in their direct attacks on us they are now attacking our culture directly. This attack didn’t go as well as planned with one of the attackers poisoning himself.

Two Quickies

Brett — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:04:06 +0000

First is about how the cruise industry really hasn’t changed much in the last hundred years.

Second is about Boy Scouts doing the awesome, clearing a woman’s home of vultures.

Bosworth Location Revealed

Brett — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:52:33 +0000

The actual site of the Battle of Bosworth has been found about a mile from the traditional site. Found on the field were cannon balls, arrows and armor as well as a boar pin thought to be carried by someone close to Richard III, who died on the field.

Today In History: Myles Standish Takes Command

Brett — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:13:21 +0000

February 17th: Today in 1621 Myles Standish is appointed the the first commander of the Plymouth colony. He was a soldier hired by the colonists and arrived with them on the Mayflower. He led the early defenses of the colony and later founded the town of Duxbury.

Snowmaggedon 2010

Brett — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:59:03 +0000

Bird Feeder-8

Originally uploaded by Tancread

A cardinal waits while her mate feeds at our bird feeder during Washington DC’s Snowmaggedon 2010.

Summer of Fear 2010: Sharks Get the Ball Rolling

Brett — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:40:51 +0000

Every year the Sharks make a hard run for the Summer Of Fear title, with breathless stories about the latest attacks. Why should 2010 be any different? In an interesting human perseverance note, the first rescuer on the scene had been attacked by a shark himself, but still came on and brought the victim in.

What If: Our Founding Fathers Were A Hair Band?

Brett — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:19:10 +0000

Jeremy Clarkson, Rock Star

Brett — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:53:49 +0000

Musical Roots

Brett — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:53:42 +0000

Boing Boing just ran an excellent series on cultural roots of music and how blind most are to them. It runs fifteen parts, each illustrated by a video and covers country, soul, blues, bluegrass, classical and each is worth watching. I love following the roots of music, as a society we ignore so much excellent music, it is nice to see some really great music highlighted. This is the first one, I think they are all worth watching.

Kate McGarrigle Has Passed Away

Brett — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:15:56 +0000

Singer Kate McGarrigle has died, she is well known to folk fans, but less known to the general public. Her Matapedia album, done with her sister Anna, is in my top five folk albums of all time.