So, I picked up my two new suits yesterday, and when I took them out of the fancy bag I noticed that a cuff button was missing from one of the jackets. I didn’t notice that when I tried it on to make sure the alterations were done properly. Non-parenthetical interlude: What’s the purpose of… Continue reading Suit Surgery
Author: Eric
Death by Facebook?
OK, we’re not quite there yet, but if I don’t get some motivation pretty soon, I might have to get out the old chisel and start working on this headstone.
Using Actors In Place of the Real Thing
Did you catch Gwyneth Paltrow’s performance at the Country Music Awards a couple of weeks ago (watch it on YouTube)? Paltrow is, of course, an Oscar-winning actress, and with more than forty movies under her belt, is probably intimidated by nothing. But it had to give her pause, appearing before many of the most talented,… Continue reading Using Actors In Place of the Real Thing
Ordeals just aren’t what they used to be
I was a little amused by this story in today’s local newspaper, which describes the situation where the Texas law governing the issuance of concealed handgun permits to retired law enforcement officers differs from the federal statute. It seems that in Texas, some officers have to undergo the same requirements as regular citizens to obtain… Continue reading Ordeals just aren’t what they used to be
Amazon reluctantly does the right thing
Amazon.com’s “commitment to principle” lasted about twelve hours, and then it showed that it’s still in the business of turning a profit and dependent on the good graces of its customers to do so. In pulling from its virtual bookshelf the disgusting The Pedophile’s Guide To Love & Pleasure: A Child-Lover’s Code of Conduct, Amazon… Continue reading Amazon reluctantly does the right thing
The Mystery of Bristol Palin
We were at a dance Saturday night, sitting at a table with eight other fans of Dancing With The Stars, and someone observed that they were surprised that Bristol Palin was still on the show. The consensus was that Bristol’s fan base had kept her in the competition long after her skill ceased to do… Continue reading The Mystery of Bristol Palin
Turning Eight
Of all the made-up words that accompanied the advent of blogging, “blogiversary” is the most unwieldy and nonsensical…and yet I can’t think of another one to use while announcing that today the Fire Ant Gazette turns eight years old. In many ways, Facebook (and to a lesser extent, Twitter) has brought blogging to its knees,… Continue reading Turning Eight
Great Blue Heron in Distress
We’ve had a Great Blue Heron hanging around the neighborhood for the past few months. It’s quite a sight, especially when winging its way over the mesquite-dotted pasture that surrounds us; there’s a vaguely prehistoric look to its flight. While it prefers to wade along the shoreline of the two ponds, it’s not unusual to… Continue reading Great Blue Heron in Distress
Apple to increase iTunes previews to 90 seconds
It’s about time, literally and figuratively. The AppleBlog reports that iTunes song previews (for tracks longer than 2.5 minutes) will be tripled in length, to 90 seconds. I’ve long argued for this change. Thirty seconds simply isn’t long enough to decide if you like a relatively unfamiliar song (or a familiar one in a new… Continue reading Apple to increase iTunes previews to 90 seconds
Random Thursday
A few observations while marveling at the fact that a “Random Thursday” post is actually getting posted on a Thursday. I was reading the fifth chapter of Lamentations this morning (when’s the last time you read the most depressing book of the Bible?) and a particular verse caught my attention. Now, keep in mind that… Continue reading Random Thursday