What happens now?

Still here

I can't believe this blog is still here. Maybe I should post some stuff. Maybe.

Happy birthday, Elvis

Happy birthday, Stephen

Jan. 8, 1814

In 1814, we took a little trip
Along with Col. Jackson down the mighty Mississip.
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans,
And we met the Bloody British near the town of New Orleans.

We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin'.
There wasn't near as many as there was a while ago.
We fired once more and they began to running
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

We look down the river and we saw the British come,
And there must have been a hundred of them beating on the drums.
They stopped so high and they made the bugles ring
While we stood besides the cotton bales and we didn't say a thing.

They ran to the briars and they ran to the brambles
And they ran to the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch them
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

Old Hickory said: We can take them by surprise
If we didn't fire out muskets till we look them in the eyes.
We held our fire till we saw the faces well.
Then we opened up squirrel guns and really gave them hell.

We fired our cannon till the barrel melted down.
So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.
Filled his head with cannon balls and powdered his behind.
And when we touched the powder off that 'gator lost his mind.

Please don't lock me out ...

I'll come back. I promise.

Swarming Warhawks

I've recently finished editing my second book for Squadron/Signal Publications. This one traces the developmental history of one of the more frequent fighters of WWII, the Curtiss P-40. It became most famous for its use by the American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers, but it was much more prolific than that.
The book was written by Richard Dann, and you can see profiles of the plane in various incarnations at his Web site.
Here's a video of the early-war workhorse from History Channel's "Dogfights":

Happy Birthday, Zoe!

Well, my little girl turned 2 last weekend. That's her on the left with a fistful of lollipops. Her BFF, Becca, seems to enjoy the pops, too. The seemingly incessant rain we've had in North Texas stopped, and we had a party with many friends and much fun.
It's hard to believe it's been two years since my life turned upside down and the most important thing in it emerged.
What a beautiful day.

I didn't make this up ...

Zoe's already putting on her own makeup.
Those are some kickin' eyebrows, little girl.

We're here

I know it's been a long time. Hush already.
We're here, and life is great. Ticla and I moved to Richardson, just minutes from my parent's place. And it's a blessing. We never could have done it without them.
Ticla is working as an office manager and I'm editing books.
Right now I'm working on a book about a Cold War Russian jet, the Su-27. It's an outstanding plane.
Here's a clip of it performing what has become known as Pugachev's Cobra. It's not really a tactical maneuver; it's more for show. But it's cool nonetheless.
Now, here is one of the Russian Knights:

Tao for today

"Throw away holiness and wisdom,
and people will be a hundred times happier.
Throw away morality and justice,
and people will do the right thing.
Throw away industry and profit,
and there won't be any thieves.

"If these three aren't enough,
just stay at the center of the circle
and let all things take their course."

Ice storm

Well, we got hit pretty hard. But after six days, the ice is starting to melt.
Many people are still without power, but we were fortunate. We only lost power for half a day.
Trees are down all over town. The National Gaurd is here, which is fitting beacause many neighborhoods look like war zones.
But it's a nice sunny day today. Things are warming up, and the sounds of transformers exploding and trees crashing have been replaced with the sounds of ice falling off of everything. Of course, this weekend's forecast calls for 4-6 sinches of snow. So here we go again. Sheesh ...

Peace on Earth

Grow your own

We're talkin' furniture here.


This is an upholstered stool made out of maple and a sycamore frame of the same design ready for harvesting.

Truly the utmost in organic design ...

Check it: Grown furniture.

Juggle different

This looks pretty cool when he gets several balls going.

Thank you

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation."
— Pres. Woodrow Wilson
November 1919

My Clone

Here in Missouri, voters will be deciding Nov. 7 the fate of several Constitutional amendments.

One of the more controversial is Amendment 2, the stem-cell initiative. Basically it would guarantee that everyone in Missouri has access to all stem-cell research and treatments that the federal government allows. It's a safeguard against an overactive legislature that's tried to ban stem-cell research many times before.

But the fight is over some of the smaller type that attempts to address cloning fears.

All this cloning talk reminded me of a little ditty by Isaac Asimov. It's sung to the tune of "Home on the Range."

Warning: Not only does this tune deal with cloning, it deals with sex. So if you're easily offended, skip down to the cute picture of Zoe. She's not a clone.

"Oh, give me a clone
Of my own flesh and bone
With its Y chromosome changed to X
And after it's grown
Then my own little clone
Will be of the opposite sex

Clone, clone of my own
With its Y chromosome changed to X
And when I am alone
With my own little clone
We will both think of nothing but sex

Oh, give me a clone
Is my sorrowful moan,
A clone that is wholly my own.
And if she's X-X
And the feminine sex
Oh, what fun we will have when we're prone.

My heart's not of stone
As I've frequently shown
When alone with my own little X
And after we've dined,
I am sure we will find
Better incest than Oedipus Rex.

Why should such sex vex
Or disturb or perplex
Or induce a disparaging tone?
After all, don't you see
Since we're both of us me
When we're having sex, I'm alone.

And after I'm done
She will still have her fun
For I'll clone myself twice before I die.
And this time without fail
They'll be both of them male
And they'll each ravage her by and by."

Trick-or-treat, smell my feet

Zoe put on her princess garb for Halloween and went looting at the mall. Tons of kids were running everywhere. She didn't get much candy (the proprietors at the mall are notoriously stingy with their treats), but that wasn't really the point. She had a blast, bouncing off the walls and smacking people with her princess wand. We're already planning next year.

Congratulations Jessica and Mike!

My cousin Jessica got married this past weekend to Mike. A Jew and an Irish man, they decided to beautifully blend their families' traditions. In addition to the hora at the reception, they had the chuppah made out of Mike's family tartan. Well done.
May you have a long and happy marriage, y'all.
Mazel tov!

Belly dance

Zoe was born less than a week after this video was taken. We've all been dancing ever since.

Uke joint

Jake Shimabukuro will make the ukulele cool again. Seriously. Check it:

Avast, ye scurvy dogs. Hoist the mizzen and yer tankards. Tomorrow be the highest of Pastafarian high holy days.

My pirate name is:

Black Sam Read

Like anyone confronted with the harshness of robbery on the high seas,
you can be pessimistic at times. Even through many pirates have a reputation
for not being the brightest souls on earth, you defy the sterotypes. You've
got taste and education. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from
piratequiz.com.

Wedding Shots
I've put up a few pics from MP & McD's wedding.
Check them out here
Some could be considered incriminating — but only if you know the story behind them.
Enjoy.

Congratulations Mary Pat and McD!

Their wedding in South Bend went off with just one hitch -- and it was beautiful.

The town is beautiful, too.
Some of the hotel rooms looked out over Pier Park. Below is a panorama.

I'll put more pictures of the town and the wedding on Flickr, as soon as I weed out the crappy and incriminating ones.

Boulevard Baptist Church in Springfield has decided to try some blatant honesty.
The sign's been up for weeks. If it were a joke, wouldn't they have taken it down by now?

Wikipedia killed my cat ...

Zoe and her left foot

Zoe turned 1 on July 15. We took her outside so she could enjoy her cake without us having to hose down the kitchen later. She didn't smear it on her face like most kids. Instead ... well, you'll see.

Wakarusa '06

We made it.
The Wakarusa weekend went so fast, it seemed like just a refreshing breeze.
Ticla, Claude and Zack made it to Springfield from Birmingham on Wednesday, and we headed out for Lawrence on Thursday morning.
We were supposed to pick up Eartha at the airport in Kansas City, but alas, she missed her flight. We thought we'd go to the festival, set up camp and then leave to get her in KC when she arrived on a later flight. Leaving, however, once we'd set up camp, proved to be impossible. So she was on her own. But Eartha is resourceful and resilient, and she made it to the festival on her own steam. And we had a blast.
We saw too many shows to list, but here are a few videos I found.
The day show (above) was Bela Fleck sitting in with Donna the Buffalo. I think you might be able to see my head bop up a few times, because I was right at the front.
The night show (below) is the encore for STS9, which we caught after Fleck and his Flecktones wrapped up on the neighboring stage. We were right next to the fire spinner in the video. He was endlessly amusing, as was the entire weekend.
So maybe y'all will come with us next year. You won't be sorry.

Only two more days of work before the relaxing, music-soaked Wakarusa vacation.
To top it off, some of my best friends are coming up from Alabama to go to the festival, too.
Can't wait.

Memorial Day

Looks like walking to me ...

Come to Daddy ...

Polly and Graycie have become fast friends.

Welcome, who?














Say hello to our little friend. This is, perhaps, the sweetest cat in the world. And she has joined our family. God bless her.
But there's one problem. We don't have a name for her yet.
Do y'all have any ideas?
I thought about Fuzzbucket, but that doesn't seem to fit.

Almost there.

Zoe has taken the first steps toward taking her first steps.
Check it out.

Nothing punny about it.

Well, it finally happened. A whole copy desk went silly overboard with the lame headlines. The San Antonio Express-News has expressly forbidden puns in headlines after a recent ridiculous rash of the linguistic lunacy. Thank God alliteration is still allowed.
Read about the pun ban here.

This boring headline is written for Google.

Is the Internet dumbing down your newspaper?
This article from The New York Times looks at the spread of bland headlines — a peeve of mine — and their cause.

Curse you, Google.

"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no 'them' out there. It’s just an awful lot of 'us'."
— Douglas Adams

Rarin' to go

In the world of Monopoly knock-offs, this one is the scariest.

Patriot Act: The Home Version

But it's free and hilarious. Apparently no one ever wins. Everyone ends up stuck in Gitmo.
Not that anyone ever won the real Monopoly anyway.

Let's have a party!

Big Brother really is watching you — at least in Springfield.



This picture was taken by one of dozens of city-owned cameras around the 'Field, ostensibly to monitor traffic flow.
And, yes, that's me, leaning against a lightpost like some sot.

Alabama's giant flap

I recently saw a giant Confederate flag flying proudly over Interstate 65 in Alabama, and it stirred in me many emotions. I feel certain this was the intent of the folks who raised it, for it is the largest standard I have ever seen, visible for miles.

I was filled with a complex mixture of pride and shame. I am a proud Southerner. And I am shamed by the ignorance of those who proclaim to laud my heritage.

During the Civil War, confederates fought under many battle flags. A common one was the Southern Cross, or the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. It was a square banner and no doubt stirred many emotions in those who gallantly fought and died under it.


A rectangular version saw some use in the war.
It flew as a naval jack on Confederate ships that were in port. It is this naval jack that the Sons of Confederate Veterans have overblown and hoisted above I-65, some 200 miles from the port of Mobile.

Well, perhaps we can forgive this historical-heritage group its errors in geography.

But the main problem lies in the flag's use, not in its location. The battle flag is so called because it was used in times of battle for like-minded Southerners to recognize their confederates in the fog of war, be it the slaughter of Antietam or the blinding anger of segregation.

Which battle is the SCV fighting? Are they still fighting the battles of the Civil War? Of course not; that is patently ridiculous. Those battles have been over a long time. Defeat is part of the heritage.

However, the battle flag has flown during a more recent campaign. Perhaps it is this battle the Sons are fighting.

In 1956, two years after Brown v. Board, Georgia incorporated the battle flag into its state flag as a symbol of defiance against integration. Recently, after many heated arguments and many hurt feelings, Georgia has settled on a new flag that salutes its heritage without stirring the anger and hate of the memories of slavery and segregation.

The new flag is a return to Georgia's vexillological roots. It reflects the First National Confederate flag.

In 1963, during Attorney General Robert Kennedy's visit to Alabama, Gov. George Wallace raised the battle flag over the statehouse in defiance of federal efforts at integration. The offending fabric was removed during a renovation of the statehouse in 1992. It never found it's way back.

Perhaps most famously, South Carolina raised the battle flag over its statehouse in 1962 by a vote of its all-white legislature. South Carolina has since replaced the inaccurately shaped rectangular flag with a more traditional, square banner. Considering the state to be hatemongering, the NAACP continues to boycott South Carolina's tourism industry.

The Confederate States of America had a national flag — three, in fact. The first was designed by an Alabamian, Nicola Marschall in 1861. It is that flag the Sons should be flying if they are truly intent on hyping our entire Southern heritage and not simply the hate part of it.
For better or for worse, the battle flag has become a symbol of hatred akin to (and often in conjunction with) burning crosses, which once stood for purity, and swastikas, which once stood for balance and harmony.

Again, I ask: What battle are you fighting, Sons?

That's my Gato ...

Peek-a-boo

I don't have the resources to give any money, but I can help spread the word.
This chance to help the kids learn comes via my cousin, Jessica. You can see her blog here.
Help Public School Kids by Participating in a DonorsChoose Challenge
My choice, of course, would be Newspaper Necessities.

You've heard Taps. And you probably could recognize Reveille. But did you know there are scads of bugle calls? And they all mean something.
Click the horn to find out.

Ever since we moved to Springfield, I've been looking for a way to encapsulate the experience for my friends. I believe this short video does that.

And she's up ...

Ash Wednesday
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Happy Mardi Gras, everybody!



Here's a bit of background for ya.

Go, Zoe, go

Everybody needs a little levity.

Pbthpbthpbth!!!

Hey, baby.

When you think that your walk is profitless and a failure, and you can hardly persuade yourself not to return, it is on the point of being a success, for then you are in that subdued and knocking mood to which Nature never fails to open.

Thoreau's Journal: 27-Jan-1860

Open the box

Do you want to find more music you like? This Web site will take a band or song name and find other similar artists or songs. You create radio stations based on what you know you like - more selective than genre based Net radio.
Check it: Pandora

Alabama's giant flap

I recently saw a giant Confederate flag flying proudly over Interstate 65 in Alabama, and it stirred in me many emotions. I feel certain this was the intent of the folks who raised it, for it is the largest standard I have ever seen, visible for miles.

I was filled with a complex mixture of pride and shame. I am a proud Southerner. And I am shamed by the ignorance of those who proclaim to laud my heritage.

During the Civil War, confederates fought under many battle flags. A common one was the Southern Cross, or the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. It was a square banner and no doubt stirred many emotions in those who gallantly fought and died under it.


A rectangular version saw some use in the war.
It flew as a naval jack on Confederate ships that were in port. It is this naval jack that the Sons of Confederate Veterans have overblown and hoisted above I-65, some 200 miles from the port of Mobile.

Well, perhaps we can forgive this historical-heritage group its errors in geography.

But the main problem lies in the flag's use, not in its location. The battle flag is so called because it was used in times of battle for like-minded Southerners to recognize their confederates in the fog of war, be it the slaughter of Antietam or the blinding anger of segregation.

Which battle is the SCV fighting? Are they still fighting the battles of the Civil War? Of course not; that is patently ridiculous. Those battles have been over a long time. Defeat is part of the heritage.

However, the battle flag has flown during a more recent campaign. Perhaps it is this battle the Sons are fighting.

In 1956, two years after Brown v. Board, Georgia incorporated the battle flag into its state flag as a symbol of defiance against integration. Recently, after many heated arguments and many hurt feelings, Georgia has settled on a new flag that salutes its heritage without stirring the anger and hate of the memories of slavery and segregation.

The new flag is a return to Georgia's vexillological roots. It reflects the First National Confederate flag.

In 1963, during Attorney General Robert Kennedy's visit to Alabama, Gov. George Wallace raised the battle flag over the statehouse in defiance of federal efforts at integration. The offending fabric was removed during a renovation of the statehouse in 1992. It never found it's way back.

Perhaps most famously, South Carolina raised the battle flag over its statehouse in 1962 by a vote of its all-white legislature. South Carolina has since replaced the inaccurately shaped rectangular flag with a more traditional, square banner. Considering the state to be hatemongering, the NAACP continues to boycott South Carolina's tourism industry.

The Confederate States of America had a national flag — three, in fact. The first was designed by an Alabamian, Nicola Marschall in 1861. It is that flag the Sons should be flying if they are truly intent on hyping our entire Southern heritage and not simply the hate part of it.
For better or for worse, the battle flag has become a symbol of hatred akin to (and often in conjunction with) burning crosses, which once stood for purity, and swastikas, which once stood for balance and harmony.

Again, I ask: What battle are you fighting, Sons?

My Uncle David passed away yesterday. The stars will shine a little brighter, but this world has grown a little colder. He was a sweet person with a pure heart.
My buddy has gone home, and I will miss him terribly.

Thank you one and all

Well, Zoe's baptism went off as planned.

















Many of our good friends came to wish us well. Above and from left are Godfather Bill, me, Ticla with Zoe, Godmother Vegee and Godfather Zack. Zoe is one lucky little girl to have such wonderful people to guide her.

We are truly blessed by all the beautiful people who joined us, and we hope you all had safe journeys back to your homes.

We'll see you soon.

Peace,
Tha Wilsonz

OMG!

A totally awesome example of satire through juxtaposition.

"Tristan and, Like, Isolde"

The penultimate line seals it: "I guess I'd also say it's a WB-esque take on an epic Brythonic narrative with possible Pictish roots." Yeesh.

Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods, if you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary.

Thoreau's Journal: 25-Dec-1856

Zoe's christening

Hello, friends.

On Jan. 21, 2006, our daughter, Zoe Marie Wilson, will be christened at The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Dallas.

As a bonus, Ticla and I will be having our marriage blessed.

For those of you attending from out of town, you'll want a place to stay. Accommodations have been requested at the Bradford Homesuites in Richardson. You'll need to make reservations by calling (972) 671-8080.

Reservations must be made before Jan. 14, so get on it.

I believe rooms are $79, but I think you can upgrade to a sweet suite for $10 more.

Despite the information on the invitations, the reception will be held at my parents' home, 1404 N. Cheyenne Dr. in Richardson. Mapquest does an adequate job of directing from the church to the reception.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, call me. Heck, call me anyway, just to chat. I always love to hear from you.

Peace.

Daily Tao

47

Without opening your door,
you can open your heart to the world.
Without looking out your window,
you can see the essence of the Tao.

The more you know,
the less you understand.

The Master arrives without leaving,
sees the light without looking,
achieves without doing a thing.

DailyTao.org

Droidel, droidel, droidel

A little something for my Jewish geek friends this holiday season.

(thanks to BoingBoing)

Finally ...

Hello, friends.

It is with great joy that I announce that I have found a job. I have accepted the position of assistant news editor at the Springfield News-Leader in Springfield, Missouri. It looks like a great paper with a great crew, and I’m very excited. It’s a Gannett property, which also makes me happy. I’m happy to be working for a company that values its employees and its newspapers.

John recently posted a link to an article that detailed the astonishing loss of newsroom jobs this year. Gannett was not mentioned until, at the end of the article, a breakout box revealed the company had eliminated 14 jobs from Green Bay. Considering the size of the company and the number of people it employs, that is hardly a frightening number. Unless, of course, you’re in Green Bay.

For those of you who have held on to your allegiance to Scripps, I applaud you for your loyalty. But I also challenge you to analyze that loyalty. I have developed a profound distaste for the cable company after its unceremonious liquidation of the Post-Herald. We had all heard rumors for years that Scripps corporate would provide outstanding support for its employees in the event of a closure. Those rumors proved to be unfounded and perhaps were propagated to ease the heavy hearts of those who foresaw the imminent doom. Scripps corporate offices provided nothing beyond their legal obligations. I was there, too, Greg, when Rich shed his crocodile tears in the newsroom. When I spoke to him one on one, he looked right through me, and appeared not to register anything I said. I was not filled with confidence.

Any Scripps leads we got were because of the wonderful networking skills of Jim, John and Wade. Thank you, gentlemen, for you help.
Scripps papers were the first to hear that a fresh group of experienced journalists had entered the workforce. And many of them came calling. But they were not alone. Gannett also heard of the newly available talent. And it came calling, too – in the form of its in-house headhunter.

Gannett, and the News-Leader in particular, worked hard to recruit me. The News-Leader’s executive editor has fresh ideas about what a community newspaper should be, and he is building his newsroom piece by piece. In him I have great confidence.

Springfield appears to be a nice town – relatively quiet and friendly. Ticla, Zoë and I will be moving into a house up there in the coming weeks. We are eager to start our new lives.

I wish all of you the best of luck in whatever paths you chose, be they with Scripps or elsewhere. If you would like to keep an eye on me, I have set up a blog. Although it was originally designed to help me land a job, I will soon be updating it with random rantings and observations. You can find it at www.adamw23.blogspot.com. Sonja, I expect some comments.

Take care, everyone, and I’ll see you in cyberspace.

As a general rule, puns should be treated with great caution in headlines.

This was a fun page I was able to design. Note the use of white space -- important, I thought, in a design about the Antarctic.

This is the center spread for the Post-Herald's annual Home & garden section for 2005. It was a 14-page tabloid. I was the responsible for all aspects of the section, including design.

Me and my baby

Originally uploaded by Adam23.

Here is a sample of a home page that I shepherded from conception to publication.

Here is a sample of the Home section. I was the Home editor, and although the story and photos are from the wire, the design and execution is mine.

This is one page I designed. It won the Best of Scripps award for topics that drive readership in the first quarter of 2005.

test

Just trying to get it going.