Couldn't resist this....I can be such a geek at times...but I'm okay with it...
Go read a book...even if it's just a good comic book.

Air America Radio: Little Rock

It only took a few years after its founding, but AR is finally getting an Air America Radio affiliate. Glad it's going to be in LR. The big problem is that it's on a weaker AM station - 1380. Still better than nothing. Read about it at the Arkansas Times Blog.

Of course you can stream the Air America Radio feed from their website but some companies (like mine) aren't happy when bandwidth is sucked up by streaming media.

I just acquired a scanner and got it working (thanks Bryan). This means I can finally bore you all with old photos from my youth, high school days, and college. You be best served by running away now...

Good Times

Went to a Hendrix reunion at the Flying Saucer last night. Much more enjoyable than expected. A pretty good crowd showed up and there were people I knew and who knew me. Most impressive was the number of people who actually came in from out of state. Everyone was at once very much the same and very different.

I'm heading out to breakfast right now (unexpectedly) so I'll return later and dive a little deeper into the events last night. I don't think Jess and I will be on campus for today's reunion activities. However, we will go to the church service on Sunday and I'm trying to talk her into going to the cafeteria for lunch: shrimp, baked potato, rainbow roast beef, and disco trays.

It's been a while since you all got a Vagabond photo. My gift to you this day.

Festival of the Lion King at Disney World. Absolutely the one live show to see at DW.
(Click image for larger image)

Oh no! Jessica is being stalked by a giant alligator. Run Jessica, run!!

Do you like speed?

This made the rounds a few months back...but I think it's great.

Do you like racing games? Car chases? Ever wish you could speed through a major city...say, Paris?

Here's your chance (video is 9 minutes)...and here's the story behind it.

Lest we forget...we are still at war. I've not ever been a supporter of this conflict and I buy into the assertion by the Left that we were misled into this war. However getting into that conversation is not the purpose of this post. I just wanted to share a Flash site I've had bookmarked for some time.

Iraq War Fatalities (safe for work - there is nothing offensive here)

If you're ever looking for something to do on the web, have some time to kill, and like science fiction...visit the Science Fiction Cover Explorer.

More Podcasts

Time for two more of my favorite podcasts - all available via iTunes.

Vintage ToonCast

This is a periodic video cast of animation from the 30s, 40s, and 50s that are no longer protected by copyright. This means they can be freely distributed. Generally, two videos are released per week. The quality is a bit off at times but if you like animation, this is definitely for you. Please note that these toons come from an era before political correctness. There are things that might be offensive...but they're products of their time...and in that sense a great historical resource. So be careful if you watch with a child.

The President's Weekly Radio Address

This is a weekly parody of the president's radio address. It's very short, never more than a few minutes. Always funny, regardless of your party affiliation. They actually have a website...WeeklyRadioAddress.com. Check it out.

More favorites later in the week.

Had a good week in Chicago last week. Work was slow and I only had one free night to get out an about....but it was a worth it. I managed to get to the Art Institute of Chicago (as indicated by the photos posted earlier this week) on its extended hours evening. Wish I had more time. I recommend it to everyone. Reminded me of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Similar breadth and scope. Definitely world class.

In other news...my old friend Sarah gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday April 2 (hey...Jess' birthday as well...I didn't process that till just now). Congratulations to her and Ghani. I'll post a photo as soon as they send me one.

This past weekend used Jessica's new fondu pot for the first time. She made a tasty cheese foudu courtesy of Alton Brown and the show "Good Eats." Games were played and 4(!) bottles of wine were drained. Good times.

Last night, thanks to Bryan, we went to a lecture at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock. The speaker was an Egyptologist (Bob Brier) who posits that Tutankhamen was murdered. He gave a vibrant and informative lecture. He clearly has a love of the subject. Again - thanks Bryan. One interesting thing occurred during the Q&A. Someone (clearly with an agenda of some sort) tried to get this historian to commit to nailing down something about Moses and the Exodus. Dr. Brier didn't take the bait (if for no other reason than the speaker didn't actually ask a question)...and even implied the Exodus may not have occurred.

The thing is (and I know I'll be corrected)...the Bible (and other religious texts) cannot be relied upon for dates or historical accounts. Makes me wonder if there is a record (aside from the Bible) on the details of the Exodus - something contemporary to the event found in Egypt? Now would be a good time to research this...as it's Passover.

I love this art deco sculpture.

Not the Maltese Falcon...rather, an ancient Egyptian bird...

Another fancy urn...still no odes to be found...

I liked the title of this one..."Are They Thinking About the Grape?" by Francois Boucher. What a great sense of humor.

Hopper - Nighthawks...bad photo...iconic painting.

Greek urns and pottery - no odes here...

Painting by Toulouse-Lautrec. I love the lighting and make-up on the woman's face.

Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Seurat - Art Institute of Chicago

As promised to Bryan...a photo remembrance of his 30th birthday gathering (click on it for better resolution)...a few years back. (Now we'll see whether the people in the photos kill me.) It was an 80's themed party. Photo commentary numbered from left to right starting at the top...

1. Surprise: Bryan arrives.
2. Does the cake meet approval...hard to tell.
3. It's the return of the Eighties Ladies.
4. Jess...looking lovely as always.
5. Radiant JJ.
6. Party hosts...Rich and Jen (don't forget to check out her new blog!)
7. Tom doing his best Dobbs-head impression.
8. Me...Miami Vice style...though I think the earrings are a bit much.
9. Close-up on the colorful decorations.

This was fun and seems so long ago...babies, divorces, moves, and mortgages...still...here in Little Rock and in Fayetteville as well...I've been so lucky to have such good friends. Absolutely no doubt that these are great people.

Haddock Happenings

Hey all...

New blog alert...the Haddocks are now posting family updates on what we hope becomes a regular basis. There are some new links on the right column.

You'd be smart to keep an eye on Haddock Happenings. Jen is very witty and creative (Rich ain't to shabby either, but I bet the blog is all hers). Also, she's an excellent photographer so you'll probably begin to see some of her old photos as well as constant Lukas updates. Her first posted photo is an excellent shot of a super-cute Lukas.

Also...dinner tonight for Bryan's birthday. Went to Sonny Williams. No need to return. They're very full of themselves...and they shouldn't be. The steak was tasty enough (I've had better - you know it Mr. Morton and Ruth's Chris) but it was overpriced and the service was severely lacking. That said, the au gratin potatoes and green beans were among the best I've tasted. I paired my steak with some St. Francis "Old Vines" Zinfandel. It too was very good, though to be fair I knew that before I ordered.

Despite the fullness...some of us managed to get to Community Bakery for some dessert and coffee. Good Times.