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May 28, 2010

Origins of the rust monster

Awesome:

The rust monster's appearance is based on a plastic toy that was sold in toy stores during the 1970s and 1980s in cheap bags of plastic monsters and dinosaurs. Gary Gygax wrote about the inspiration for the rust monster: "When I picked up a bag of plastic monsters made in Hong Kong at the local dime store to add to the sand table array ... there was the figurine that looked rather like a lobster with a propeller on its tail ... nothing very fearsome came to mind ... Then inspiration struck me. It was a rust monster." --Gary Gygax

I had that bag of dinosaurs. I had lost all the 'dinosaurs' by the time i started playing D&D, but i remembered having it. Had no idea the toys were actually the inspiration for the monster. Always kind of wondered about it but never thought to look it up until tonight (my memory was triggered after seeing this ad in an old comic i was reading (New Mutants #1) and looking to see if it was possible for me to re-purchase those old model sets on ebay (it's not, currently, anyway)).

Apparently the owlbear and bulette were created the same way, but i don't remember having them.


By fnord12 | May 28, 2010, 1:28 AM | D&D| Link



May 21, 2010

Danger Lasers

So, at work, there's a bin by the door to catch the newspapers that get dropped through the slot. Everyday i walk by this bin and grab the papers. For 3+ years now, i've done this. And i've always noticed this piece of paper sitting in the bin, but didnt' think much of it. Figured it was just some random piece of paper that fell in. I finally took a look at it the other day.

Ok, WTF? A sign that starts off with the words "Danger" and "lasers"should not be casually dropped in the newspaper bin. It should be hung up somewhere with a giant blinking arrow pointing at it.

As soon as i figure out where these fiber optic cables are being used, i'm gonna go stare into one.


By min | May 21, 2010, 11:44 AM | My stupid life | Comments (5) | Link



May 20, 2010

On top of things

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE): I've Never Used An ATM -- But I Can Learn! I Know About Holograms

By "holograms," Nelson clarified that he meant the bar codes on products read by automatic scanners in the checkout lanes at stores such as Lowe's and Menard's.

By fnord12 | May 20, 2010, 10:40 AM | Liberal Outrage | Comments (1) | Link



May 17, 2010

Mr. Balls

Is a fantastic name for a cat. However, it's a terrible name for a politician.


By min | May 17, 2010, 1:20 PM | Ummm... Other? | Comments (1) | Link



May 13, 2010

Carrying stuff around on bikes

When we run out of oil, it's what you'll have to do.


By fnord12 | May 13, 2010, 4:43 PM | Ummm... Other?| Link



How about we get some Senators under the age of 70?

WSJ:

One person who was in the room for Tuesday's intelligence briefing said [Republican Senator and frequent critic of Obama's terrorism policies] Bond appeared to fall asleep for 10 to 15 minutes, but that he and other senators had spirited exchanges with the briefers. Among those there to answer questions were top officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Justice Department and the National Counterterrorism Center.

A Bond spokeswoman, referring to the claim Bond had fallen asleep during the Tuesday meeting, said: "Resorting to baseless personal attacks clearly shows Senator Bond touched a nerve and raised questions someone doesn't want asked."

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R., Utah) also weighed in, saying he sat beside Bond during the briefing, and "I can tell you he was awake." Hatch said that sometimes the lights in the room are so bright "you have to rest your eyes for a bit; you get light burn."

He was just resting his eyes? Really? I've heard that one before.


By fnord12 | May 13, 2010, 10:51 AM | Liberal Outrage| Link



Why is Obama working to re-elect Specter?

There's currently a primary going on in Pennsylvania between Senator Arlen Specter, who recently switched parties to become a Democrat when he realized he was going to lose in his Republican primary, and Joe Sestak, who is an actual Democrat. Sestak has the momentum, and he's also the candidate that is more likely to defeat the Republican in the general election. But the national Democrats are entering the contest, spending a lot of money to support Specter over Sestak. I don't think the national political parties should get involved in primaries at all, but i definitely don't understand why they are doing so in this case.

They're doing the same think in Arkansas, supporting Blanch Lincoln, who did everything in her power to stop or water down the health care reform bill, over her challenger Bill Halter.

This is why it never makes sense to give money to groups like the DSCC or the DNC - you never know which nutty right wing candidate they are going to support with the money you give them.


By fnord12 | May 13, 2010, 9:15 AM | Liberal Outrage| Link



Don't sweat the deficits

Good interview with Ezra Klein and James Galbraith. Click it to find out how we can just buy Paris if we can't get our health care costs under control.


By fnord12 | May 13, 2010, 9:09 AM | Liberal Outrage| Link



May 8, 2010

Guy vs girl color names

xkcd examines assumptions vs. reality.


By fnord12 | May 8, 2010, 11:15 AM | Ummm... Other?| Link



Marvel Sales

March.


By fnord12 | May 8, 2010, 11:12 AM | Comics| Link



Recap 32

Rusty Mountain Hop.


By fnord12 | May 8, 2010, 11:02 AM | D&D| Link



May 6, 2010

My Hero

Elizabeth Warren is just soooo adorable, I could eat her up. I would love to see her knock someone's teeth out.


By min | May 6, 2010, 12:43 PM | Liberal Outrage| Link



May 4, 2010

My chair is killing me

Figures.


By fnord12 | May 4, 2010, 4:17 PM | My stupid life & Science| Link



John McCain needs to STFU

Speaking as someone who was in Times Square the night of the failed bomb attempt, i'd like to see the suspect brought to justice. Therefore John McCain shouldn't be trying to make that impossible.


By fnord12 | May 4, 2010, 3:38 PM | Liberal Outrage| Link



Oh, yeah. You understood it real good.

HuffPo:

As top Federal Reserve officials debated whether there was a housing bubble and what to do about it, then-Chairman Alan Greenspan argued that dissent should be kept secret so that the Fed wouldn't lose control of the debate to people less well-informed than themselves.

"We run the risk, by laying out the pros and cons of a particular argument, of inducing people to join in on the debate, and in this regard it is possible to lose control of a process that only we fully understand," Greenspan said, according to the transcripts of a March 2004 meeting.


By fnord12 | May 4, 2010, 11:00 AM | Liberal Outrage| Link



May 3, 2010

Probably not the best phrase to ease "Federal Government = Fascism" concerns.

Link:

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said it was the federal government's job to "keep the boot on the neck of BP," which is running the cleanup effort.

Still, i appreciate the sentiment.


By fnord12 | May 3, 2010, 10:00 AM | Liberal Outrage| Link



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