Two-Letter Words

I’ve been playing a lot of Words With Friends lately. It’s addictive. One of the essential elements of getting good at Scrabble (or Words With Friends) is knowing your two-letter words. They may not be worth much on their own, but they enable you to make parallel words, which can really rack up the score….

A Line at the Men’s Room

Yesterday, I encountered a line at the men’s restroom. Role reversal. I am under the impression that no one is really surprised when there is a line at the women’s room. Frustrated, yes, but not surprised. As observant people we can notice the patterns that lead to bathroom lines.  I was in a conference center…

Home Made Star Crunch

Little Debbie Star Crunch are quite possibly my favorite junk food from childhood. Last week, I went for home made.  I found two recipes online, both of which looked close, but not quite right in the soft-but-chewy caramel department. Here’s my recipe.  Yield 12-16, depending on size. 1/2 bag caramels, unwrapped 1/2 bag marshmallows (about…

The Northwest Passage

My home improvement project today was to create a passageway from my living room to my office, through which audio/video cables can span the two rooms. The vast majority of my music and movies live on my computer.  Hulu, streaming Netflix, Zune, even my record player – the signal begins in my office, and can…

Physics Poems

Today I proposed an assignment to a friend who is a physics teacher: "For extra credit, write a poem or song about your favorite linear motion constant, vector or equation, and present it to the class."  My entries…   "80 in a 60" Last night the officer gave to meA ticket for velocityDespite my lame apologyToo much dx over dt…

Books Books Books

If I were still in school, I would be in 20th grade.  Ten years ago, in tenth grade, our teacher assigned us SSR – sustained silent reading.  To get full credit, we had to read 600 pages each six weeks.  For me back then, this was a chore.  Most grading periods, I struggled to get…

Stella Cafe

Welcome to the neighborhood, Stella Cafe! Earlier this evening I was walking back to my apartment from Caffe Ladro sipping a tasty pumpkin spice latté.  I stopped by to peek at the new place opening up at the corner location at 1st and University, across from the front door of Harbor Steps and the Seattle…

Rock Band is Pro-America

So today I was excited to come home and play around with Rock Band 2, which had come in the mail yesterday.  My favorite part, after the singing, is creating the characters to be in my band.  Since ’tis the season, and the Election Night Hootenanny is coming up, I thought it would be fun…

Underdog

The Republicans have been making a lot of noise lately about voter fraud.  The Reupblicans party of Ohio is suing the Secretary of State.  McCain tried to hammer Obama with ACORN in the last debate. It has become clear to me that this noise is really a smoke screen for a systematic effort to disenfranchise…

Execution-themed Jewelry

Have you ever wondered what kinds of jewelry Christians would wear if Jesus had been executed by any other means than crucifixion?   Sage Kitamorn

Sarah Palin is Laura Roslin

John McCain must be a fan of Battlestar Galactica.  How else would he know to pick the real-life Laura Roslin to be his VP? Sage Kitamorn

Gas Prices

Paia, originally uploaded by Sage Kitamorn. In July of 2004, Stephen and I took a trip to Maui Hawaii. I snapped this photo to remind myself of the outrageous gas prices that Hawaiians had to pay. If you can’t read the sign, regular gas is $2.65. Where we came from in Texas, we were used…

Jay Smooth

Check out what The Sound of Young America turned me on to today… http://www.podtech.net/player/podtech-player.swf?bc=5d200eaab7134fa581fdb33de3282813Your browser does not support JavaScript. This media can be viewed at http://www.podtech.net/home/4205/if-bill-oreilly-was-a-rapper He even invoked Keith Olbermann and Al Franken, the author of one of my favorite books Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, and to my supreme satisfaction,…

Breakfast and a Bank Robbery

While eating my cereal this morning (Quaker Oatmeal Squares mixed with Organic Pomegranate Granola with vanilla soy milk … mmm), I heard sirens.  Lots of sirens.  I took my breakfast out to the patio to watch as about 20 police vehicles sped down the Seneca ramp off of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.  "So many police,"…

Healthier

I made a full grocery trip today and bought only foods that were free of partially hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup.  Sage Kitamorn

Postal Irony

I get a lot of mail.  Typically, it's from people who want money, people to whom I've previously given money, and people to whom I've previously given money who want more money. This concoction creates some interesting ironies in my mail pile, including these two letters I received last week.   The ACLU is not…

Best Five out of Seven

In the beginning, the Clinton campaign claimed it was delegates won, not momentum that counted. When Obama pulled ahead in delegates, it was about the popular vote. When Obama pulled ahead in the popular vote, it was about "big states". … and then it was bellweather states like Ohio …then came the argument for electability…

What am I supposed to think?

I called in to my doctor’s office this morning to make an appointment. The holding music was a muzak rendition of Dust in the Wind by Kansas. [update]And who could forget … Sage Kitamorn

Fresh Windows and Live Writer

I spent most of yesterday spring cleaning: my computer.  What’s new? Windows Vista reinstalled.  It used to be 64-bit, and now I’ve gone back to 32-bit for greater compatibility. Windows Vista SP1 installed.  Things seem to be a little faster.  I’ll see how I feel after a week. I’m also trying out the new Windows…

Pennsylvania

In the Clinton campaign’s continuous quest to move the goalposts, they have trotted out a new ante based on Pennsylvania: From a March 13 Press Release Did You Know? The path to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue goes through Pennsylvania. No Democrat has won the presidency without winning Pennsylvania since 1948. No candidate has won the Democratic…

Researchers discover gene that blocks HIV

From an article on website of the University of Alberta:   A team of researchers at the University of Alberta has discovered a gene that is able to block HIV, and in turn prevent the onset of AIDS.   Stephen Barr, a molecular virologist in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, says his team…

Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader announced this morning that he's running for president.  Some people blame Nader for leeching democratic votes in 2000 and 2004, giving the election to George Bush over Al Gore and John Kerry.   I do not blame Ralph Nader for giving us George Bush.    I blame the people that voted for George…

Bullseye

From the New York Times: Completing a mission in which an interceptor designed for missile defense was used for the first time to attack a satellite, the Lake Erie, an Aegis-class cruiser, fired a single missile just before 10:30 p.m. Eastern time, and the missile hit the satellite as it traveled at more than 17,000…

The Hillary Matching Game

Match the politician with the observed behavior:    1.  ______  Refuse to acknowledge you're losing despite evidence to the contrary.    2.  ______  Put all of your chips on state(s) with large number of delegates; lose big in the rest.   3.  ______  Stay in the race after the prospect of winning becomes impossible or…

Freaks and Geeks

Last week, Hugo ordered Freaks and Geeks DVDs from Blockbuster Online. I had never seen it before, but I decided to give it a spin. Despite the fact that I was working like crazy last week, I still found time (mostly by not sleeping) to watch the nine episodes that we had in our posession….

Austin’s Mayor Endorses Obama

Austin’s mayor endorsed Barack Obama on Thursday. The mayor of Austin is named Will Wynn. A good omen if you’re a betting man. Sage Kitamorn

Overheard …

"I would love for my job to be to count beans, because I think I could do that pretty well." – someone walking past my office   "First he made me ashamed to be a Texan.  Then he made me ashamed to be an American." – a stranger at the Latona Pub, who was also from…

Rock the Caucus

So it looks like my vote will matter after all 🙂 I want to go buy an American flag and hang it from my balcony, along with a big sign that says Caucus Saturday at 1PM! A lot of people will see it since I live above a pretty busy intersection which is also a…

Emergency Dental Floss

I just realized this fact in a time of urgent something-is-stuck-between-my-molars-and-if-I-don't-get-it-out-I-will-need-to-go-home-early need: In a pinch, you use use a teabag for dental floss.  Sage Kitamorn

I Choose Two

On Sunday, I decided to it was time to step in and support for my chosen presidential candidates. Candidates, you ask? Yes. I have chosen two. One of each. I have selected Barack Obama as my top choice for President. After observing closely for the last year, I strongly want Obama to be the Democratic…

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse, originally uploaded by Sage Kitamorn. This is my first try at Chocolate Mousse. The sauce is black cherries reduced with tawny port. I got the idea while shopping for wine with Kayla back in Texas. Sage Kitamorn

Counting Homophones

Forty percent of the first ten counting numbers are homophones.   One = Won Two = To, Too Three Four = For Five Six Seven Eight = Ate Nine Ten   After we won the game, we went to Gatti's for pizza, which we ate.   This could be a fun little encoding for a Puzzlehunt puzzle.  Sage…

Presidential Candidates

Last weekend, a few friends gathered over at my place for a presidential debate watching party. We cooked up some home-made pizzas and settled in for a great night of politics. For your reading pleasure (yes, you future Sage), here are my thoughts on our candidates. According to this 2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz, here…

Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper Fountain, originally uploaded by Sage Kitamorn. I’m not a real big fan of soda, but when I do feel like one, I usually feel like a Dr Pepper. It is discouragingly difficult to get fountain Dr Pepper here. Since I’ve been in Seattle, I’ve replayed this conversation way too many times: Waitress: “Would…

Year in Review: 2007

I got this set of questions from my sister, who makes it part of her routine to answer every new year. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?Led a project at workBought a new carGot pulled over for jaywalking Worked an 80-hour week Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and…

Rudy Giuliani as Beowulf

Last night, some friends and I watched Beowulf in IMAX 3D. The plot of the movie is notably different than the epic poem we read in high school. Looking at some of the traits of the warrior in this new interpretation, I notice several coincidental and amusing parallels between the flawed heroics of Beowulf and…

Podcasts

New Zune owner Eliot asked me last night which podcasts I listen to.  Here's the answer, shared for the greater good.   New York Times Front Page KEXP Song of the Day MSNBC Countdown with Keith Olbermann NBC Meet the Press NPR: Car Talk NPR: Wait Wait Don't Tell Me Pandora Podcast Real Time with…

I couldn’t resist

Welcome to Overstock.com's Customer Service Live Chat! You will be joined with a chat representative as quickly as possible. (Less than 2 minutes) Welcome to Overstock.com Customer Service, you are now chatting with Brynn.Brynn: Thanks for visiting Overstock.com, this is Brynn. How can I help you?you: I'm writing with regard to an order I placed…

Thanks, iTunes. ‘Preciate it.

A few days ago, I noticed that I was almost out of diskspace on my 110 GB “sage” partition. I wasn’t totally surprised, since I do take a lot of pictures, and my new download habits with my all-you-can-eat Zune Pass subscription was sure to be responsible. I don’t have a Zune, but I’m switching…

Bald Eagles

Conservapedia. For a site created to be a pro-American and pro-Conservative alternative to Wikipedia, I would expect a decent article for bald eagle. Sage Kitamorn

Cecks and Balances

Two topics in this post.   Topic 1: A week ago today, I got pulled over.  It was the first I've been stopped in over seven years.  I got a ticket.   Topic 2: Today I wrote my ninth check since moving to Seattle.  I've had this checking account since February 2005.  With electronic bill pay…

Making Over My Office

Last week, I decided it was time to start “personalizing” my office. Here’s what it looks like after one weekend of work. Later phases will add a small ottoman, some speakers, and art in lieu of the whiteboard above the couch. This is the back half of the office. See the front half here. Sage…

Romeo and Maria

This morning I was driving to Redmond and rocking out to Tchaikovsky.  I was listening to the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, which you probably know from the incredibly famous love theme .    There's a part near the very end of the twenty-minute piece  that caught my attention.       Listen to the low…