Book Review: Good Omens

Good Omens
The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Authors: Neil Giaman & Terry Pratchett

I just finished reading this book. It, if you couldn't tell by the title and cover, is fiction. In my own words I will attempt to sum the novel up as quickly as possible:

Agnes Nutter was a witch, who in 1655, wrote a book of prophecies. One of which was the exact day the end of the world would come. It just so happens that it is going to be Sunday.

The anti-christ (Adam, somehow fittingly) is re-born in to the modern world. A mix up in the delivery room causes Adam to be raised in the country as a normal boy. The authors do a good job at adding an overshadowing of his true power in his everyday world.

There are two angels, one on the side of heaven (Arizaphale) and one on the side of hell (Crowley). They both live on earth and help people or create problems, respectively. Since they have lived on earth since The Beginning they actually have become quite accustom to life on earth. As a result they are not looking forward to the Rapture. However, since they are here each respective side is sending them to find Adam. It seems that the delivery room mix up caused both sides (Heaven and Hell) to lose track of him.

As the book moves along the heat (pun intended) between the two sides is building and building into the great last battle. More and more weird shit is happening all over the world, like Atlantis rising. Arizaphle and Crowley get more and more frantic looking for Adam. The Four Horsemen appear, riding motorcycles, looking for Adam.

The armies of Good and Evil take the field of battle with Adam, caught, unafraid in the middle. I will not say what happens after this point. But it was a fairly clever solution to destroying all life on Earth.

This is a pretty easy reading book. I particularly enjoy that there were plenty of places to break because I usually only have 20-30 minutes to read at anyone time. I find that when chapters drag on, so can the book. Anyway, If you are looking for a good, fun fiction this could be it for you.

Side thought: I thought this was much better than American Gods also by N. Gaiman.

Creation Museum

Surfing around last night I came across the website for the Creation Museum. Then I found some pictures via Digg apparently taken of the displays. Going through and reading the summary panels of the displays I noticed a couple of things worth noting. I see the words 'probably' and 'legend' being used.

Well then if its a legend IT MUST BE TRUE. Who would make up such a thing?

*Can you hear me rolling my eyes?*

Moving on... take a look a the image below titled (I presume) "Life Recovers":

Anything about that strike you as odd? In the first frame it seems to me that "Organisms changing rapidly as the earth changes" is called EVOLUTION. They even made up a pictorgraph showing an evolutionary chain for the horse.
Then the second frame "Variety recovers rapidly after the flood". The frame is showing the evolutionary changes of the dog. WTF?

Why do the creationists refuse to accept evolution? The bible is a historical document. A very old one at that. Think of the bible as a very old version of the game 'telephone', to take it for its literal word is preposterous.

Believe in science. Believe in facts. Not Legends.

What are your comments?

Gun Rights

There is a big flap in the rags today regarding second amendment rights. In March the US Supreme Court concluded that the 2nd Amendment protects an individual's right to have firearms. The USSC could be taking a fresh look at the whole issue on Tuesday and beyond. Again.

The key phrase in the 2nd amendment states :

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Reading this, the solution seems clear to me. If you wish to have guns, you need to be a part of the militia. I don't think I have a problem with this. Unfortunately the authority is that of Congress and the problem comes when they want to send me to boot camp and force the friggin' government agenda on me. I'm all for protecting my self, family and lands from foreign invaders but I'll be damned if I'm forced to do something outside of my own will. Now, if the authority deferred to my state, I think we are getting somewhere. We could have some basic, and I mean real basic, training in state. Show me how to shoot, how to move and communicate with my fellow militiamen. Just don't make me go to Georgia in August to get yelled at by a jarhead. Its gonna do no one any good.

Sure, I'll take shifts at the former 295 toll booth converted into checkpoint to watch for commies - if the need be. Or creep through the northern Maine woods to blow up a nazi bunker (Return of the Jedi style). But fuck going outside of my own state or country to fight.

According to wikipedia a militia is: "... a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency, law enforcement, or paramilitary service, and those engaged in such activity, without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service."

The worse thing that could come of this is that: if you want a gun you need to join the militia.
The best thing is that things stay as they are. I suspect things will stay as they are.

I am an ordinary citizen.

Bicycle ist

It's either a really fond hobby or an addiction but I came across and bought another bicycle, this time a mid-1980's Shogun 200. It's yard sale cost, $1.00 Dollar. How could I possibly refuse? Then consider that it has shimano hubs, front and rear derailer AND breaks...well there was just no going back.

I have already stripped it and transfered the brakes and seat-post onto my Raleigh single-speed. This bike was originally planned as a fixed gear, but I am laying in wait for a rear fixed hub and currently ride it with the freewheel at 42x16. Its a great city bike- light, silent and could preform too.

I'm not exactly sure yet of what to do with the remaining parts of this Shogun. -????- At this point I am thinking I could add the other Shimano gear to that Peugeot I got a while back and start building that back up. I just finished a pretty decent re-paint job to the frame. So thats an option...

Any random suggestions/ guidance out there?

Art ist

Here is one of a series done by Steve Dean on pages of Jim Morrison's poem book The Lords.

I particularly like the poem because it remains relevant, maybe even more so, today. Comparing the worship of our entertainers to spiritual leaders.

Perhaps this is where some of the faith in the world is being funneled off to?

Have an art-full day.

Cunning Linguist

Im just feeling like a fool and thought it might be fun to throw that title up there.

It makes me laugh. :)

Muslim Racist?

Nope. Just a guy with an honest opinion.

Apparently vid was made back in May of this year, but I just found it and thought that I would like to share the message.

vid from liveleak. thanks.

'08 Tour de France

The course for the 2008 Tour de France has just be published. One interesting change this year is that time bonus' have been scrapped. This should create more equal finish times. Which will probably lead to frequent changes of the yellow jersey (overall leader). I nabbed this image of the route from velonews (who got it from letour.com)

Here is the basic schedule:

• Saturday, July 5 Stage 1, Brest to Plumelec (195km)
  
• Sunday, July 6: Stage 2, Auray to St. Brieuc (165km)
  
• Monday, July 7: Stage 3, St. Malo to Nantes (195km)
  
• Tuesday, July 8: Stage 4: Cholet TT (29km)
  
• Wednesday, July 9: Stage 5, Cholet to Châteauroux (230km)
  
• Thursday, July 10: Stage 6, Aigurande to Super-Besse (195km)
  
• Friday, July 11: Stage 7, Brioude to Aurillac (158km)
  
• Saturday, July 12: Stage 8, Figeac to Toulouse (174km)
  
• Sunday, July 13: Stage 9, Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre (222km)
  
• Monday, July 14: Stage10, Pau to Hautacam (154km)
  
• Tuesday, July 15: Rest day at Pau
  
• Wednesday, July 16: Stage 11, Lannemezan to Foix (166km)
  
• Thursday, July 17: Stage 12, Lavelanet to Narbonne (168km)
  
• Friday, July 18: Stage 13, Narbonne to Nîmes (182km)
  
• Saturday, July 19: Stage 14, Nîmes to Digne-les-Bains (182km)
  
• Sunday, July 20: Stage 15, Digne-les-Bains to Prato Nevoso (216km)
  
• Monday, July 21: Rest day at Cuneo
  
• Tuesday, July 22: Stage 16, Cuneo to Jausiers (157km)
  
• Wednesday, July 23: Stage 17, Embrun to L'Alpe d'Huez (210km)
  
• Thursday, July 24: Stage 18, Bourg d'Oisans to St. Étienne (197km)
  
• Friday, July 25: Stage 19, Roanne to Montluçon (163km)
  
• Saturday, July 26: Stage 20, Cérilly to St. Amand-Montrond TT (53km)
  
• Sunday, July 27: Stage 21, Étampes to Paris (Champs-Élysées) (143km)

Total distance: 3,554km -2,208 miles

If you are new to the sport the best days/stages to watch will be Stage 9, Stage 17 and Stage 21.

More info available: Here, Here, Here.

Mushroom Identification

It was unusually warm this past weekend (upper 60's-lower 70's). I was in the yard with wife and we came across this mushroom. I know that its a 'stinkhorn' because well...it looks like a...a ah...well, penis. It smelled, had a sticky coat and had flies all over it. It was about 4 inches tall. The stem was hollow. It was spongy.


I was just wondering if anyone out there knows which type of stinkhorn this is?