Slushhhhhhhhh!
It’s still snowing, sporadically, but the temperature must be above freezing because it’s melting off the roof and there are puddles of slush all over the place.
If it freezes tonight it’s going to be chaos tomorrow.
Monthly archives: January 2004
Intercontinental Balloon Missile
In the Second World War, the Japanese released bomb carying balloons into the Jet Stream, which then carried them to the US and Canada. Nearly 9000 were released, and one of the bombs accounted for the only direct war fatalities in the USA.
Another link
The axishistory site on the balloons
The mushroom treatment
I was going to title this The most powerful moron in the world, but people get offended by that sort of thing. Their delicate sensibilities are also upset when I say that Bush is a liar. So I won’t do that either. I’ll pretend that Wubble U is getting the mushroom treatment- being kept in the dark and fed bullshit. How else, if the first two assertions aren’t true, can he go on claiming that UN weapons inspectors didn’t go into Iraq well before the invasion?
Bush first made the claim in a press conference last year with Kofi Annan, of all people, right beside him. I had a rant about it at the time. Now he’s gone and made the claim again, this time during a press conference with the Polish prime minister.
I get a few American visitors. Please tell me if your country’s notoriously liberal media, beyond Salon and the original piece in the Washington Post reported it, or were they too busy harping on about a Democrat hopeful’s post defeat yodel? If not then you should spread the word, because if he’s on record misleading you about something so easily proved then just imagine what he’s making up about the secret stuff.
Banned
Well, that’s Wigan council off the list of people I could work for.
Purty
I was just about to leave the house when it started snowing again. And there’s more on the way.
Snowwwwwwwwww!
Manchester has never looked so clean. I think I’m going to take my bike out and play in the snow.
There are also some more pictures in the January gallery.
Hard Decisions (revisited)
Well, the trade in value for the mountain bike is 200 pounds, which is slightly lower than I’d have liked, but about what I expected. The problem is that it’s part exchange on a new bike and you know (and if you don’t, I’m about to tell you) that there’s no way I could settle for a two hundred quid bike. After flicking through the bike porn that is the Marin and Trek catalogues I think I’d like one of these, or possibly one of these. I still hanker after my old Bruiser too.
The nice people at Bike Doctor will do a staggered cheque payment scheme. I’d just have to have the faith in my income to use it.
Mmm Cookies
Ben of Ben & Jerry’s explains the US budget with Oreo cookies. It’d be interesting to see the UK budget explained in a similar way- except they’d have to use Digestives or Kit-Kats.
via Boing Boing
Old Fashioned
It’s often said that the military tends to gear up for the last war, thus being caught off guard when the next- and undoubtedly different- one comes along. Max Hastings thinks the British military is actually thinking 2 or 3 wars back, preparing- despite the evidence of Gulf Wars 1 & 2, for a European war that’ll never happen.
Technorati tag: Military
Baby, it's cold outside
Actually, right now, looking out of the window it’s the sunniest it’s been in weeks. But, for when the Scots stop hogging the snow, the Guardian has some cold weather advice.
On this day in History
An appendix to the last post. What I are bin doing on my last two anniversaries-
2002- I had a new bed. Which was nice, because up until that point I had been sleeping on the floor. I think the futon was delivered on the same day. It very nearly squished the PS2 when the packaging toppled over. The arrival of something to sit on whilst playing did wonders for Johnny’s bad back, which had been brought on by GT’ing whilst lying on the floor.
2003- Pretty much the eclectic mix you’ve come to expect from Spinneyhead. Toothbrushes, video cards, Welsh people, kitsch, money, some little war brewing in Iraq and mambonsai. My adventures in mambonsai have been curtailed by my wondrous ability to kill little trees. They’re sitting on the window sill and I still water them occasionally, but I’m not holding out much hope. If nothing else, I can use the branches in a diorama some time.
I AM 3
Yup, it’s the third anniversary of the Spinneyhead blog. The domain is nearly four years old, but I spent the first year testing various formats before finally discovering blogs and realising this was the best way for me to keep updating the front page regularly (seeing as I have such a bad head for deadlines, especially self imposed ones).
The first day was all about me swearing at the settings because I couldn’t get them to work properly. Setting the tone for the past three years, the first proper entry was all about Wubble U and the second was just silly. (Sadly, the God Created Frizington site is no more. *Puts hand on heart and stares meaningfully at the ground in mourning*) I don’t have saved versions of the many awful layouts the blog has gone through to reach its current state of okay-ness. Which is probably a good thing.
Some things just have to be done.
And they’re even the right colour!
The backlash against the backlash
Bush v Dean. Comparing the rebel yell to footage of Dubya at a wedding.
Little Optimist
Or, as her father is hinting, Spadger.
Congratulations to Tom and Vicky.
Logo
I should come back and refer to this every time I have new coursework, as much a guide to what to avoid as what to do.
via Boing Boing
Good wholesome food?
It’s a brave man who would eat nothing but McDonalds for 30 days.
via GeekPress
Time for a wife swap
Well, there you go. Cherie is the most sensible Blair.