Thursday, November 13, 2003

Apparently, in the purist coffee world, it’s a mortal sin to add anything to your coffee. I’ve seen a few posts about coffee around the blogosphere lately, including Michele’s rant today. I found said rant at Wizbang, where Kevin mentioned Denis Leary’s “Maple Nut Crunch” comedy bit with a link to Jon Cellini post that contains that classic Leary rant. (Denis Leary, while immensely hilarious, is also one of the most profane comedians out there - you’ve been warned. If you can stomach the language, it’s a very funny rant.)

So it’s with trepidation that I admit to doctoring my coffee liberally with “stuff” - although I rarely buy regular coffee at a place like 7-11. If it’s regular coffee that morning, then it’s my own brew from home. Otherwise I buy my beloved Venti White Chocolate Mocha Latte from Starbucks.

I have considered trying to go to black coffee and I’m trying to slowly wean my taste buds aways from the “stuff” that I add to my coffee. But then again, why should anyone else care how I doctor up my coffee? They don’t have to drink my brew, right?

I kid around about being a nerd all the time, but I never really thought I was an actual nerd. I do nerdy things at times, I’m a little compulsive about certain things (I alphabetize my videos/DVDs), etc. But I’m not a computer programmer and I hated math and science classes - flunking and almost flunking the two required sciences courses I took in college.

So imagine my surprise at the result of the nerd purity test. (I know, another quiz.)

You answered “yes” to 18 of 100 questions, making you 82.0% nerd pure (18.0% nerd corrupt); that is, you are 82.0% pure in the nerd domain (you have 18.0% nerd in you).
Your Weirdness Factor (AKA Uniqueness Factor) is 26%, based on a comparison of your test results with 378675 other submissions for this test.

The average purity for this test is 73.7%.

How the Weirdness Factor is Calculated
The Weirdness Factor is produced by comparing your answer for each question on the test you took to the answers previous test-takers gave for that question. The “score” you get for each question is equal to the fraction of previous test-takers who answered differently than you did. The Weirdness Factor is the average of those scores.

Here is an example for a hypothetical two-question test. You answer yes to the first question, no to the second. To the first question, 44% of previous test-takers answered yes and 56% answered no. To the second question, 33% of previous test-takers answered yes and 67% answered no. Your Weirdness for the first question is 0.56, and for the second is 0.33. Thus, your Weirdness Factor is (0.56+0.33)/2, or 44.5%.

LATER: At least I’m less nerdy than some of you out there, right?

MUCH LATER:  Jared took the movie nerd test. In this one, he beats my score…

You answered “yes” to 184 of 400 questions, making you 54.0% movie pure (46.0% movie corrupt); that is, you are 54.0% pure in the Movie Nerd domain (your Nerdiness is 46.0%).
According to the scoring guide, your Movie Nerd experience level is: Hey, doing fine! Either you cheated or you’ve been doing your homework. Good show!
Your Weirdness Factor (AKA Uniqueness Factor) is 33%, based on a comparison of your test results with 19821 other submissions for this test.

The average purity for this test is 64.4%.

My Matrix Name is Sapphire.

[via Clarity Amidst Chaos]

Some people hated Matrix Revolutions.

From Krempasky:

The Wachowski bros. are like freshmen in college, who have been introduced to both philosophy and marijuana for the first time. They were depressed, smoked a blunt, and then stayed up really, really late one night asking some really “deep questions, man.” Then they woke up and tried to answer them using their sorely limited faculties and a sorely un-limited special effects budget.

Sounds like the W brothers really should have done 2 different movies, 1) The Matrix (and left it at that), and 2) The ‘Dragon Messiah’ or something like that, basically edit out the crap and meaningless blather from Reloaded and Revolutions, and made a Kung Fu meets Terminator hybrid...

James at Outside the Beltway examines the post-JFK presidents - which of them will regular people remember 100 years from today? Using a one line summary…

LBJ - The Vietnam Quagmire
Nixon - Watergate (Alternately, Old Vulcan Proverb: Only Nixon can go to China)
Carter - Nice cardigan, Mr. President
Reagan - Won the Cold War
Bush 41 - Won a war but lost the peace
Clinton - Impeached (Alternately, “I did not have sex with that woman. . .")
Bush 43 - [Won/lost/started?] the Global War on Terrorists

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Discoshaman posts a thought-provoking question:

...about the basic chuckleheadedness of those who center their church worship service on evangelizing the unbelievers. Many were the visitor-oriented services I sat through during my days in happy-clappy churches.

I wonder that we never stopped, even for a brief moment, and asked ourselves why we were calling it a worship service at all. Unconverted people cannot worship God. And if they’re the focus, then worship isn’t. And if worship isn’t the focus, then God isn’t.

Really, I don’t visit Fluid Pudding enough. Angie is hilarious - a gifted humor writer. Her blog is one of the first ones I visited every day in my early days as a blurker.

My sister and I were talking about the blogs we both read over the weekend. We agreed that Fluid Pudding is one of our favorites. If you haven’t visited Angie, please go right now. I guarantee she’ll make you laugh out loud (or at least smile a lot).

My adorable niece, CootieGirl, may have a future as a baby model.

Can you say COLLEGE FUND? We can…

And just in case you can’t remember how really adorable she is, please see below.

I got the following George updates from LW via email:

So we were sitting at lunch Monday and George was talking about how we call Plain Old Deputies (P.O.D.’s) P.O.W.’s.  I started giggling right away, MD looked over a minute later and said “Did he just say P.O.W.?”

So, this morning he and one of the female guards were talking about how she recently tried alligator tail for the first time.  George replies “Yeah, I’ve had tail before.  It’s really erotic.” WP says “George, don’t you mean exotic?”

Tuesday, November 11, 2003

I just got home (about 90 minutes ago) from seeing Matrix Revolutions with my dad.

Wow.

I’m still digesting. But for a great review that pretty much sums up my initial thoughts, go see what Jared said. (There are spoilers in his review, so if you haven’t seen the movie and plan to, you might want to wait to read it.)

And in case it isn’t clear - I really liked the movie.

Some would say this is me to a T.

Which Founding Father Are You?

This was unexpected…

You are Neo, from “The Matrix.” You
display a perfect fusion of heroism and
compassion.


What Matrix Persona Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Yeah, and somehow I expected this result too…

cuddle and a kiss on the forehead - you like to be
close to your special someone and feel warm,
comfortable, and needed


What Sign of Affection Are You?
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This quiz is for Mrs. Cootiehog, who showed me the funniest tin of breath mints with the Happy Bunny™…

you are the cute but psycho happy bunny. You
adorable, but a little out there. It’s alright,
you might not have it all, but there are worse


which happy bunny are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Chris at Rude Cactus has a few tips for toiletiquette. My favorite:

6. Also when using a stall, please do not shout. Sure, the process may be a difficult one from time to time but shouting just frightens everyone.

I am the daughter of a Vietnam veteran. I am the granddaughter of two World War II veterans. I am the great-granddaughter of World War I veterans. I am the great-great grandniece of a Civil War veteran. I am the great-great-great...granddaughter of Revolutionary War veterans.

On my mother’s side, we know that our ancestors were militia in Massachusetts who fought the British for freedom from the tyranny of King George.

On my father’s side, we know that Stonewall Jackson is an uncle who fought for states rights, in particular for the rights of Virginia.

On my mother’s side, we know that my great-grandfather served in the south Pacific during World War I, and he lied about his age to enlist (I think that story is true. Right, Mom?) [Correction from my mother: It was my grandfather’s brother, who at 16, enlisted in the British Army to fight during WWI, being the first American to do so. When his mother found out where he was, she enlisted the help of Henry Cabot Lodge Sr. to get her boy back, which he did. Uncle Elmer eventually enlisted when of age and served in WWI and WWII.].

On my father’s side, we know that my grandfather served in the US Navy during World War II; while on my mother’s side, we know that my grandfather (career Army) served under Patton in North Africa and Europe.

My mother’s brother spent a brief time in the US Navy. My father’s brother attended Virginia Military Institute for a brief time.

My father was a US Naval officer for 20 years and fought for the freedom of the Vietnamese people and for the demise of the Evil Soviet Empire during the Cold War.

I’m going to hang out with a veteran today, to give him a big hug and kiss in gratitude that he always came home, and to say a prayer of thanks for those who serve still - here at home and abroad - and their families. We owe them a debt of gratitude that we really can never repay.

I’m grateful for the sacrifice of my family members to ensure our freedom. I’m grateful for the sacrifice of many friends who are working for the cause of freedom today. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

UPDATE: Chris at Rude Cactus has a great tribute to his ailing grandfather.

Eric reports the sad demise of a good TV show - Boomtown. Sometimes I don’t understand what TV execs are thinking. This was a show that had the potential to rival Law and Order or NYPD Blue.

I pray that some other network or cable picks it up. If JAG could be saved in that manner, then Boomtown just might.

You are the Girl Next Door.  You’re the sweet one.
The quiet one.  The one that he doesn’t realize
he’s got until you’re gone.


What Type Of Retro Gal Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

[via the accidental jedi]