The Wizard of Speed and Time

Just a bunch of things I think are interesting or funny.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

He's having doughnuts with Elvis

Apparently, you just can't trust mobsters. After acting on a tip from a jailed mobster, the FBI and ATF decided to dig up much of a farm on the outskirts of Milford, MI. But after finding only water pipes and debris the FBI has suspended the search. Click here for story. While it would be cool to find him, I wonder if the $250,000 spent in such a pursuit is wise.

At least we didn't have to pay for the openning of Capone's Vault.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Cool Implosion

Click here and go to the link for Trojan Nuclear Plan implosion. And yes the reactor was shut down.

Bad call Judge

A 5'1" child molester was luck to be sentenced by District Judge Kristine Cecava. She decided that jail wasn't right for him. So she ordered 10 years probation. Click Here for story. The molester will be electronically monitored the first four months of his probation, and he was told to never be alone with someone under age 18 or date or live with a woman whose children were under 18. Cecava also ordered the molester to get rid of his pornography.

WTF?

I don't care that jail might be dangerous for him due to the fact that he's small and a child molester. Jail ain't all that safe for the normal sized non molesters.

Monday, May 22, 2006

A geek and his money are soon parted

In early October, Christie's will hold an auction and sell memorabilia from all five “Star Trek” television series and 10 movie spinoffs. Click here for story. CBS Paramount Television Studios is cleaning out its vaults for the sale, comprising more than 1,000 lots totaling some 4,000 items, to be held from Oct. 5 to 7 in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the original “Star Trek” series, Christie’s announced Thursday.
Fans and collectors will have a chance to acquire “Star Trek” artifacts ranging from models of the “Starship” USS Enterprise to Capt. James Kirk’s uniform or Capt. Jean-Luc Picard’s jumpsuit in an auction where Christie’s expects to raise more than $3 million.
If you want to see the catalog for the Auction Click here. They estimate you can get a Klingon Captain's Chair for $6,000 - 8,000. Of course it will cost you $81 just to get the catalog. $500 for a special boxed set.

An embarrassment of riches

I have never seen an entire lacrosse game. I've only seen highlights on ESPN2 and I know enough not to let my daughter hang with the Duke Team. But now my chances of watching lacrosse have increased dramaticly. Chicago is now home to not one but two teams. The Chicago Machine represent Major League Lacrosse (MLL) while the Chicago Shamrox play in the National Lecrosse League (NLL).

But I don't think I'll be going to the games. Unless I get free tickets.

Best headline on a boring story.

Baseball Sudoku


Now why didn't I think of this. Click here for article. I mean I play two or three Sudoku puzzles a day (one at Msn Games and another at The Irish News and the one in the paper edition of the Trib on days that we get it) and I also watch a lot of baseball.

The only problem is that it is too easy.

Friday, May 19, 2006

Getting your freak on in Elmhurst.

Google tells us so much about ourselves. A new service offered by the Google search site allows users to get an idea of which city or town, by ratio, is most looking for news on a particular subject. In Elmhurst it's "sex". Click here for story.

In the story there are some interesting comments:
"I don't sense the city of Elmhurst is any lustier than the next community, and I would say the same for the college,'' said Elmhurst College spokesman Charley Henderson. - Of course the next town is that haven of lust Bensonville.

Yet another recut movie.

Star Wars meets Brokeback Mountain. Click here. Nuff Said.

I'm not sure if this is great, psycotic or both.


On May 29, the annual Gloucester Cheese Rolling Races are once again upon us. Click here for stroy. For those unfamilar with the contest the basics are quite simple. Several dozen folks line up at the starting line at the top of a large hill. A seven pound Double Gloucester cheese is rolled down said hill. The racers chase the cheese. First one to the cheese wins.



Of course, like all other forms of racing, it is exciting because of the chance of severe injury. Safety fears halted the 1998 event after the previous year's event ended in mayhem with 18 competitors and several onlookers injured. Even past winners aren't immune to injury. Pub landlord Craig Brown, who won the event in 2000, decided to call it a day after suffering head injuries which needed hospital treatment in a terrifying tumble at the 2002 event.

Now I like cheese. But, this is perhaps one of the goofiest competitions I've ever heard of. And yes, if I were there, I would surely be chasing that cheese down the slope.

And getting injured.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Ech Bein Ein Berwyner

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Who needs a yellowcard

Well the beautiful game is looking a little less beautiful these days. Four of the top Italian leagues clubs are being investigated for match fixing. This has shaken the Italian league and it has been placed in what is essentially receivership. Click here for story. There is talk of moving Juventus, the team in the center of the controversy, from Serie A (which it won the championship) to Serie B.
Now other teams are taking swipes at Juventus. Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini said on Sunday that recent Italian Serie A championships had been 'fixed'. Speaking on the final day of the season, Mancini was quoted as saying: 'It is difficult to make an evaluation when you play in fixed championships, in fact it is impossible.'
And now we have the women's soccer team at Northwestern hazing. Click here for story. It's not that surprising. But I thought that they would be smart enough at Northwestern to not get caught.

American Amber countdown.

The American Amber has been transferred to the secondary and dry hopped. I will bottle on Sunday. It should be ready for Memorial Day.

Please Doyle, don't go all in!!

I love watching poker on tv. But I wonder if I'll watch the largest strip poker game. Click here for story. Most of those guys are not the best physical specimens.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Seven run first innings and Chicago history.

Last night the Sox overcame a horrendous start by Buehrle who gave up 7 runs in the first inning. Buerhrle then settled down and the Sox did not give up another run. Click here for story. This was the first time in over 100 years that a pitcher gave up 7 runs in the first inning and still got the win. According to the article in the Trib, the last player to do so was St. Louis' Jack Powell who defeated the Chicago Orphans 10-7 in the first game of a doubleheader on Sept. 29, 1900.

Of course, the Trib declines at say that the Chicago Orphans later became the Chicago Cubs.

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Tips for seeing a Cubs victory

Go on a Monday, the Cubs are 4-1 on Mondays. The next best is Sunday, but your odds aren't as good, 3-2. On Wednesdays and Fridays its even money, 3-3 for both days.

Avoid Thursdays, the Cubs are winless on Thurdays (0-3). And stay away from Tuesdays (1-4) and Saturdays (1-4).

And be sure to keep clear of National League West Teams. The Cubs are a woeful 3-10 against the NL West.

Also avoid games which fall on the date of the First Quarter of the Moon, the last Quarter of the Moon or the Full Moon. They haven't won on those dates either.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Most Inappropriate Prom Songs

With prom season in the air, Spike on WGN was discussing the cost of prom. Several callers were telling stories of several thousand dollars. But I followed a tangent in the conversation to keep my sanity, what are the Prom Songs that callers remembered from their own proms. Then I got to thinking, what would be the most inappropriate prom song? I don't mean the worst song, but the most inappropriate to the occasion. I wanted songs that most people had heard as well.

So here is my top 5:
AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheep
Pearl Jam - Last Kiss
Rape Me - Nirvana
You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
Mack the Knife - Bobby Darin

Juan Pierre takes away the only home run that people cared about

Right now the Cubs are going through a woeful stretch. They've lost eight in a row, being outscored 68-13 in their last eleven games. Click here for story. This sorry state continued in San Francisco which pounded the Cubs 6-1. But the single bright spot came when Cubs Center Fielder Juan Pierre made a leaping catch of a possible Barry Bonds Babe Ruth tying home run. Click here for a video.

Finally as use for science, or better living through alcoholism

The avant guard food movement has made it to the bar. In "molecular mixology" bartenders are using lasers, blow torches, and usual ingredients to make their drinks into more of a show and experience. Click here for story.

On my own personal scientific quest for alcohol, the American Pale Ale I made for the Big Brew is bubbling away in the fermenter quite nicely.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Be careful Muhamad, she's a black widow

It seems that love has cloaded the mind of one Muhamad Noor Che Musa, age 33, who married Wook Kundor, a 104 year old widow in Malaysia. Click here for story. I don't really care about the difference in age. But the story explains that the former Ms. Kundor has been married 20 times previously. The report did not say if any of Wook's previous 20 husbands are still alive.

Keep your guard up Mohamad.

Are they going to start up hash bars?

Mexico is planning on decriminalizing the carrying of small amounts of drugs. Click here for story. And we're not just talking marijuana but also cocaine, heroin, LSD, ecstasy and other drugs for personal use.

Now this law doesn't allow for the sale of such drugs, it simply allows for those wh owish to possess small amounts of drugs to possess them. Of course the law does not make it legal for those people to buy the drugs.

The perfect combination of music and sports

I heard about this on the Dan Patrick Show (see I don't always listen to NPR). The Rock Draft imagines the possibilities of NFL teams drafting music stars. Its a hoot.

Monday, May 01, 2006

The correct decision

Thank goodness the Supreme Court has the good sense to allow a former stripper to get the money that she married for. Anna Nicole Smith was won the right to seek her share of her ex-husband's millions. Click here for story.

Lets be honest. She married for money, he wanted a hot trophy wife. They both got what they wanted. Give her the money.