Out of the Blue

My favorite aspect of the winter so far (or at least the wintery part of autumn) is the snowman in the yard of our neighbors. Though snowmen are common in fictional depictions of the season, they are often disappointing in real life... small, lopsided affairs that often are covered with dirt shoveled up with their source snow. In contrast, our neighbors' snowman is top-notch, full-sized, clean, and even set up with proper accoutrements like a scarf and a hat, though as far as can be told, the hat has no magical properties ("Happy Birthday!").

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65 Replies. 4 pages. Viewing page 1.
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1.
 
wow
Dec 13, 2005, 11:10
1.
wow Dec 13, 2005, 11:10
Dec 13, 2005, 11:10
 
Man thats one lucky skier...

2.
 
Buried car
Dec 13, 2005, 11:26
2.
Buried car Dec 13, 2005, 11:26
Dec 13, 2005, 11:26
 
They buried 5 gallons of gasoline along with the car... I want to know what idiot suggested doing this. If their fear had been true (that no fuel was available) then this wouldn't have helped -- by this point the gas has long since separated and destabilized. Even using modern fuel additives you only have stable gasoline for 1-2 years.

3.
 
Snowman
Dec 13, 2005, 11:27
3.
Snowman Dec 13, 2005, 11:27
Dec 13, 2005, 11:27
 
How about a nice picture Blue? Us folks in the deep south don't get to see them but once every 10 years or so.

"Yeah everyone's gotta have the sickness
Cause everyone seems to need the cure"
Avatar 7912
4.
 
Re: wow
Dec 13, 2005, 11:34
4.
Re: wow Dec 13, 2005, 11:34
Dec 13, 2005, 11:34
 
Man thats one lucky skier...
Duuuuuude.... far out....

That's a story to tell. Would be damn scary.

___________________________________
This post is shamefully brought to you using someone else's unsecured wireless network
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5.
 
apt collapse
Dec 13, 2005, 11:44
5.
apt collapse Dec 13, 2005, 11:44
Dec 13, 2005, 11:44
 
Anyone near that in Jersey?
Ghetto?

**********************************************
Always listening to: http://www.xmradio.com/programming/channel_page.jsp?ch=53
FUNGS 53

Looking to add BF2 members to our clan. Drop a line if interested.
6.
 
Skydiver survives fall
Dec 13, 2005, 12:03
6.
Skydiver survives fall Dec 13, 2005, 12:03
Dec 13, 2005, 12:03
 
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/13/skydiver.plunge.ap/index.html

Basically her main chute fails, her auxillary fails, she hits the ground and lives. And while in surgery the docs find out she's pregnant. She and fetus are doing fine now.

From the article:
Richardson said her due date is June 25. She plans to make her next parachute jump in August.

Hope she learns to pack her chutes by then...

Oh, and bonus picture (NSFW: topless skydiving) -- I suspect this is her, although I'm not positive:
http://www.skydiveradio.com/pic_of_week/potw13.jpg

7.
 
Can this man reprogram Microsoft
Dec 13, 2005, 12:19
7.
Can this man reprogram Microsoft Dec 13, 2005, 12:19
Dec 13, 2005, 12:19
 
Did I miss Groundhog day or is there a reason the same story has run for two days in a row ?

8.
 
Re: Another example...
Dec 13, 2005, 12:41
8.
Re: Another example... Dec 13, 2005, 12:41
Dec 13, 2005, 12:41
 
Man, seems like a person would be hardpressed to find even ONE example of the word Christ in Christmas anymore.....even the links of the day have been successfully secularized. It's too bad.

9.
 
Fly image
Dec 13, 2005, 12:52
9.
Fly image Dec 13, 2005, 12:52
Dec 13, 2005, 12:52
 
WTF? In what world are these judges living? I do images like that routinely with equipment from Syncroscopy http://www.syncroscopy.com/syncroscopy/ and Automontage software. Here's one of the nicer image from our lab:

http://trichogramma.ucr.edu/bilder/Oodera.jpg
listening to http://www.progulus.com/ a mountain stream of progressive, rock and metal
10.
 
Re: Another example...
Dec 13, 2005, 12:57
10.
Re: Another example... Dec 13, 2005, 12:57
Dec 13, 2005, 12:57
 
even the links of the day have been successfully secularized.

Then I suggest you complain to SomethingAwful, not to Blue. Although, frankly, "Xmas" is not a secular thing.

seems like a person would be hardpressed to find even ONE example of the word Christ in Christmas anymore

To be perfectly honest, I think you'd be hardpressed to find many people, including self-acclaimed Evangelical Christians, who think about the storied origins of the holiday outside of their church service... presuming that they even have on on Christmas day.

Edited for various reasons.
This comment was edited on Dec 13, 13:08.
11.
 
Re: Another example...
Dec 13, 2005, 13:06
11.
Re: Another example... Dec 13, 2005, 13:06
Dec 13, 2005, 13:06
 
A photo of a cheerful snowman could just about turn my day around right now...

12.
 
Re: Another example...
Dec 13, 2005, 13:10
12.
Re: Another example... Dec 13, 2005, 13:10
Dec 13, 2005, 13:10
 
A photo of a cheerful snowman could just about turn my day around right now...

Here ya go:

http://images.google.com/images?q=snowman&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

I'd post a link to a more specific one, but I think it would blow the forum.

13.
 
Re: Fly image
Dec 13, 2005, 13:10
13.
Re: Fly image Dec 13, 2005, 13:10
Dec 13, 2005, 13:10
 

WTF? In what world are these judges living? I do images like that routinely with equipment from Syncroscopy http://www.syncroscopy.com/syncroscopy/ and Automontage software.

Awesome shot! But if you didn't enter the contest, his is still a better choice for a winning image, no?

(also looks like he's managed to hold sharp DOF throughout the entire image, whereas you've still got a bit of fall-off in there.. although a bit of crafty sharpening would easily correct that)

Still, you should enter the next round!
http://www.microscopyu.com/smallworld/scripts/entryPage1.asp

-----
GW: Tashen Boke [R/Me]; Rosti The Ninja [Mo/R]; Gort Grimley [W/Ne]
-----
I'm not even angry. I'm being so sincere right now, even though you broke my heart and killed me.
14.
 
Re: Fly image
Dec 13, 2005, 13:27
14.
Re: Fly image Dec 13, 2005, 13:27
Dec 13, 2005, 13:27
 
Well, the background needle was deliberately left out of focus, and extreme deviations from your main subject usually makes it more difficult for the software to interpret everything correctly.

I'm not contending that the winning photo should have won. I was taken aback by the judges apparent lack of experience with this relatively widespread photographic technique. There's even freeware that can do what the commercial Automontage does. You don't even need a very highend camera to get nice results.

edit: I'm happy you liked the image (of a wasp just a little more than 10 mm).

This comment was edited on Dec 13, 13:31.
listening to http://www.progulus.com/ a mountain stream of progressive, rock and metal
15.
 
Lesson 1
Dec 13, 2005, 13:37
15.
Lesson 1 Dec 13, 2005, 13:37
Dec 13, 2005, 13:37
 
- When you're in a press conference, use only words that you absolutely, positively know their meaning.

From Bush's Q&A session yesterday:

Q: I would like to know why you and others in your administration invoke 9/11 as justification for the invasion of Iraq -- when no respected journalists or other Middle Eastern experts confirm that such a link existed.

A: (much abbreviated) I mean, there was a serious international effort to say to Saddam Hussein, you're a threat. And the 9/11 attacks extenuated that threat, as far as I -- concerned.


So, uh, what exactly does "extenuated" mean?

From dictionary.com:
1) To lessen or attempt to lessen the magnitude or seriousness of, especially by providing partial excuses.



The rest of his answer clearly shows that that's not what he meant, but come on... when the hell is he going to listen to his handlers and not use big words that he doesn't actually know the meaning of?

Oh, and in case you're wondering if that was merely a transcription error (I did) -- the above text was cut and paste from www.whitehouse.gov . I think that's a reliable source.

16.
 
Re: Another example...
Dec 13, 2005, 13:38
16.
Re: Another example... Dec 13, 2005, 13:38
Dec 13, 2005, 13:38
 
(Then I suggest you complain to SomethingAwful, not to Blue.)

I'm pretty sure I wasn't complaining, just making an observation.

(...including self-acclaimed Evangelical Christians...)

Also, although I think you meant to say "self-PROclaimed Evangelical Christians", I unfortunately see your point and I'm not making any judgements on anyone as to where he/she places their priorities. I fully realize that for some people, there are only 1-2 times a year to see family/friends/etc...and, more importantly, it shouldn't matter what people do with their time for one morning a year IMO. That cuts right into the difference between those that have a religion and those that have a relationship.

Many don't know that there is a difference

This comment was edited on Dec 13, 13:41.
17.
 
Re: Fly image
Dec 13, 2005, 13:40
17.
Re: Fly image Dec 13, 2005, 13:40
Dec 13, 2005, 13:40
18.
 
Re: Fly image
Dec 13, 2005, 13:48
18.
Re: Fly image Dec 13, 2005, 13:48
Dec 13, 2005, 13:48
 
mom? is that you?




*** Warhawk ***

Your repeated violation of the Verbal Morality Statute has caused me to notify the San Angeles Police Department. Please remain where you are for your reprimand.

Have I lied to you? I mean, in this room? Trust me, leave that thing alone. - GLaDOS

Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away? - Ripley
19.
 
Lesson 2
Dec 13, 2005, 14:01
19.
Lesson 2 Dec 13, 2005, 14:01
Dec 13, 2005, 14:01
 
-Don't flame a person for making a mistake until you no longer make them.

Seems pretty ironic that the same person who felt it was necessary to poke fun at the President made the exact same mistake just 5 posts above it...a little acceptance of others' flaws goes a long way - you know, that whole thing about how no one is perfect...

20.
 
Re: Fly image
Dec 13, 2005, 14:06
20.
Re: Fly image Dec 13, 2005, 14:06
Dec 13, 2005, 14:06
 
mom? is that you?
If that's your mom I've got to break it to you that she's deadpreserved for the good of science...
listening to http://www.progulus.com/ a mountain stream of progressive, rock and metal
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