I'm glad people like this are out there

I was feeling unsettled this evening for no reason I can discern, so I sought some distraction in the internet. I ended up spending several hours wandering around this site:

Action Squad: Minneapolis

I think I may have posted it before, but it merits a reposting. I especially recommend these entries (mostly found on the missions, misc. page):

• Bridge to Dimension Zed (I can't believe I've been driving under this bridge for years and never once thought how weird it is that it comes from and goes to nowhere),
• Inside the Wabasha Street Bridge,
• Max Action's Crawlspace, and
• Cobb Caves.

I keep telling myself it will get better soon.

So Paul makes fun of me for having my radio alarm set to MPR news. Yes, I awake to the smooth voice of Cathy Wurzer. Geeky banter with Paul Huttner the meteorologist and all. It's hilarious to him. He won't listen to my explanations.

HEY PAUL HERE'S WHY: for about 7 months of the year, it's a preview of my workday. Like today, when it reminded me about the state of the state address (we always have Savoy's pizza while we watch so I didn't have to pack a lunch) and Tuesday, when I awoke to "...state finance officials will issue a report Thursday on spending from the 35W bridge collapse victim compensation fund..." and realized I am one of only three people who might be issuing such a report and it certainly wasn't on my to-do list this week. (Crisis averted: I sent an email around when I got to work, and luckily one of the other two people had read a similar statement in the Pioneer Press over the weekend and had initiated said report. He squeaked it in under the wire today. That's about how it's going these days.)

I rest my case. It's not just hopeless nerd-dom (but I might qualify for other reasons).

Here I am. Is there a roadmap?

Friends, I have now entered the iPod nation. This means years of being totally behind on music can come to an end. Paul wasn't ever behind on music, but he's joining the iPod nation for the convenience. Apparently there's a LOT of reggae on iTunes, so he's in heaven.

We are slowly learning our way around iTunes, and I even tried out the Amazon.com music shop today (they have rotating free downloads! plus they gave me a $5 credit for something I bought at some point). We have mostly mastered the iPod boombox I purchased for his birthday. Sometimes I can get my iPod radio tuner thingy to work in my car. So here we are!

Now I need your help. What should I download? I need song suggestions. Lots of them.

Thanks, team.

Happy (almost) new year

I find this really entertaining and possibly concerning. What if your job was determining when to add a second to the world's time? And is the Earth's rotation really slowing down? Should I be concerned about this?

Just a second: 2008 needs one more before it ends

December 29, 2008

Eager for the new year to begin? Well, you're just going to have to wait a second.

On New Year's Eve, a "leap second" will be added to the world's clocks at 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds Coordinated Universal Time, the U.S. Naval Observatory announced.

For Minnesotans, that corresponds to 5:59:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on Wednesday, just in case you want to adjust your own clocks accordingly.

The extra second will be inserted at the observatory's Master Clock Facility in Washington, marking the 24th leap second since 1972 to be added to UTC, a uniform time scale kept by atomic clocks around the world.

The leap second is necessary because the Earth's rotation is gradually slowing down. Leap seconds have been added at intervals varying from six months to seven years, with the most recent being inserted on Dec. 31, 2005.

The observatory's mission includes determining the position and motion of the Earth, sun, moon, planets, stars and other celestial objects, providing astronomical data, determining precise time and measuring the Earth's rotation.

Paul Walsh, Star Tribune

Maybe the future is bright afterall?

What if they were all like this? (definitely listen to the 7 minute story to get the full effect of how great this girl is)

They did it

Go Vikes!

On to the Eagles...

Crap Packular

Damn Packers. We ask just one thing of you all season. Beat the terrible-looking Bears. Take the game that was practically handed to you and win it.

Now we need everyone to send positive energy to the annoyingly named Houston Texans. Let's hope they forget they're less than .500 and have been giving games away. Guys, focus on your recent record of 4-1 and your home record of 5-2. Get it done.

Thanks.