L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station

The final entry... for now...

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:57:57 GMT

I'll be idling this blog until the next time it is needed. Yes, if I am able to, I will be in Blogathon next year. If another project comes up that needs a public blog, you can bet this will be it.

Folks that I met through Blogathon have been added to my friends list on fuzzface00. If I missed someone, feel free to follow the instructions in my profile there to get in. Any misses were purely unintentional.

Thanks to everyone for their help, participation, donations, suggestions and general good vibes.

See you here again soon!

0900 (POST 49) It isn't over until the ...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:03:05 GMT

mere_bystander was right to caution me that the END is actually 49 posts. I know somewhere I saw 48, but that isn't important right now.

I checked with demented_pants, my monitor, who confirmed this.

So this is 49.

Start playing the National Anthem... Now we really conclude our broadcast day !

And now, your moment of Zen ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4VNMERVsC4

Love ya all,
Fuzz

zzzzzzz ZZZZZZZZ zzzzzzz ZZZZZZZ SNORE!

0830 (POST 48) Live and Direct!

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 12:50:57 GMT

Well, here we are at the other end.

EFF gets the entire pledge of $265.00 ! w00t !

Lots of people to thank, but I think we will do that a little bit later in the day.

Right now, I'm going to get in some sack time. It has been a very long day!

I leave you with three things...

One is that "I Love You All!"
Two is "Drive Safe!"

and the third is "GO TO BED!"

Sweet Dreams!

WE NOW CONCLUDE OUR BROADCAST DAY

CUE TONE AND BARS

ONE MINUTE PAUSE THEN FADE TO BLACK

0800 (Post 47) The home stretch

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 12:16:31 GMT

Number of blogs: 361 --- Total pledges: 117,027.69

Good numbers. They only tell a small fraction of the story.

Behind every blog is a bunch of people who can (soon) proudly say "I DID THIS".

Behind every dollar are fabulous sponsors.

Behind it all is the idea we can make the world a little bit better today.

Not tomorrow.

Not sometime.

Today.

The contest earlier had only one entrant, who identified a large number of movies that used that Amusement Park as a backdrop. For the record, that is the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA. I used to live near there.

Quoting the winner From (http://www.beachboardwalk.com/03_press_giantdipper.html): Major motion pictures featuring the Giant Dipper include “Sting II,” “The Lost Boys,” “Dangerous Minds,” and Clint Eastwood’s “Sudden Impact,” as well as numerous television productions.

I actually didn't know some of them. However "The Lost Boys" and "Sudden Impact" always leap to mind when I think of movies filmed there.

COMING UP NEXT ON MOST OF THESE CBS STATIONS - POST FORTY EIGHT !!!!!!!!

and after that... BED!

0730 (Post 46) Whoops

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 11:34:43 GMT

I was outside noticing that some life is appearing. A neighbor cleaning a yard, some auto traffic, and a jogger.

I wished the jogger a hearty "Good Morning". OK, it wasn't hearty... but I gave it a shot. He acknowledged it and sped on his way.

After the fact I realized I was wearing a subversive T-Shirt from (of all places) Target. It reads "I'm Probably Lying". I hope the jogger didn't think I was wishing him ill.

"Have A Day" -- George Carlin

Two to go. Holding on with both hands. This train of thought (with some empty cars) is going to reach the destination!

And now, for everyone who is still awake and blogging... an appropriate number...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM96bQkJ-mc

Love You All,
Fuzz

0700 (Post 45) Good Morning

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 11:18:18 GMT

I think now would be a good time to stand in the sunlight.

Back in a few.

hrm... maybe I should put my pants back on first.

0630 (Post 44) Yes, I'm still here...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 11:13:18 GMT

Good morning to mere_bystander who just popped up on AIM.

I decided to walk away from the tube since I have been staring at it for the better part of the evening. Of course, I lost track of time... so I started getting IMs from folks wondering if I had disappeared. I have wonderful friends and supporters.

Four posts to go.

I'm thinking that the second chapter of the story will not be finished tonight, simply because I am dog tired. I'd prefer to continue it when I am fresh.

It is a Sunday morning here in the US, as a result the 'net seems very quiet. So the search for inspiration is a bit harder at this hour. Might be time to go look at some of the other 'thoners.

Four posts to go.

0600 (post 43) Oh, now there is some good news ...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:29:18 GMT

40 %

There's a 40 % chance that I'll survive the 'thon.
Will you survive the Blogathon?

The birds have started to sing. Or perhaps they are discussing my predicted 6 in 10 failure. HA! I'll show them. I'll get them all, and their little DOG too!

Quick, THROW IN A MEME, maybe they will get confused and think it is real content...

Crap, the meme generator I wanted to use is busted.

(sounds of scurrying off to fix it)

Expletive deleted ISP using a substandard version of AWK! (CRASH) And now, without further delay... the meme...


Zaphod Beeblebrox talks to Moses and my photocopy.
brought to you by the isBlob Generator

I did not win the song contest BUT I made the Blogathon front page. w00t!

0557 (Post 42A) Addendum

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:00:26 GMT

I hadn't seen joyfulfeather's comment in blogathonlj until after I wrote Post 42, but it so fits...

Like soldiers, march on
If we can make it through the night, we'll see the sun
March on, march on

Only a few more hours, everyone. :)

--- Good Charlotte - March On

0530 (Post 42) The false dawn

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 09:57:07 GMT

Outside I can see that sky has begun to brighten slightly to a lighter shade of dark blue. My eyes are a bit dry and blurry, but I actually am feeling OK. A few hours ago, I figured I would have dropped out by now. But now, I think I might just make it.

I'm at a loss right now for blogging material. I'm sitting here in my underwear staring at the screen, much like the rest of the 'thoners. We all continue to seek content in the false dawn, with the goal of making it to daybreak.

Is that poetic ? or is babble ? Right now, I doubt I could judge properly... so don't ask.

Love to you all,
Fuzz

0500 (Post 41) My first contest entry ...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 09:17:24 GMT

Sunday, July 29, 2007

I Hate That Song Game!

This game was inspired by the current run of terrible songs on BERadio, played intentionally to make tired bloggers flag with horror.

EMAIL: games@blogathon.org
SUBJECT LINE: YECH!
RECEIVE BY: 2:15am Pacific (about 25 minutes)
PRIZE: $5 sponsorship
WHAT: Tell me in an email about your LEAST favorite song. The one that makes you dive for the off switch. Don't forget to include your URL. Sing it!

And now, my entry...

"Cats in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin The song destroys my mood so quickly that I once ran out of a supermarket that was playing an instrumental version of it as Muzak. The song makes me feel really, really, really bad. It makes me think that I am a bad son, and that I am ignoring my wonderful father. I am not perfect, but that song has a way of dragging your emotions down into the gutter and stomping on them with soccer cleats. It makes you question your own personal honesty and whether or not you love your parents. Some view it as a cautionary tale of remembering to pay attention to what is important. I think the dark overture of the song clouds that message and replaces it with a message of absolute despair. Spider Robinson once wrote a Callahan's story where a time traveler went back to change one event in history. An extremely popular, but very dark and depressed, singer had a life establishing moment when she was scarred in a Police raid. In the original future, her music brought on brooding, suicide and self-destruction. The time traveler wanted to go back and just remove her hurt from that one single event. If I was a time traveler I would seriously consider going back in time and asking Harry Chapin to not publish that song. Keep on blogging, Fuzz http://fuzzface01.livejournal.com/

0430 (Post 40) Calling All Cars ...Erm... Blogs

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:58:15 GMT

I'm now up on AIM as "fuzzface00" if you would like to chat, need some help staying awake, or would like some personal attention from a possible stalker. I'm multi-talented like that.

I think what_came_next summed it up nicely in this post. Yes, we are becoming Krispy Kreme Doughnuts¹ as Post 48 taunts us in the distance.

Snape collects Power Puff Girl videos ? Who knew ?

¹Not quite as delicious as sex, but a good substitute when that isn't handy.

0400 (Post 39) Tempting

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:40:55 GMT

It would be too easy to blog about Harry Potter 7 as I am reading it right now. Look, 759 pages of nearly new content! It is leaving a fresh impression on me! The perfect solution, well not really...

surria opened the box carefully, out of sight of the guard at the gate. Inside was a Cheeseburger (still warm), a large rifle that looked vaguely like a prop from the movie Aliens, a silver tube with a single button on it and a note. Pressing the button caused the device to click in a seemingly random pattern. She slung the rifle over her shoulder, ate the cheeseburger and pocketed the tube. Consulting the note, she headed east towards the RIAA building. In the distance, the building suddenly gave out a deep sigh and quietly collapsed into itself. About a block behind her, a Frownie was quietly following her and speaking into its wrist radio.

Shortly before, demented_pants stood at the foot of the RIAA building and addressed one of the 'troopers, "Destroy the building. Send out a 911 call. Vacate the area." She then stormed off, obviously frustrated that what she was looking for was not here. Convinced a clue was nearby, she Force-pushed people out of the way and entered a Books-A-Million, in the hopes that a copy of "Delusional Nightime Blogathong Writing for Dummies" was available. Surely there would be a clue there...

fuzzface01 woke up for just a moment somewhere else and mumbled, "Don't call me Shirley". Thankfully he blacked out almost immediately, thus saving us from another bad joke.

0330 (Post 38) GIP!

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:03:55 GMT

OK, what would a blog be without a GIP ?

A GIP is a Gratuitous Icon Posting. A posting that has no value other than to show off a new icon.

I just made a Frownie icon! Go me!

Note to demented_pants: He has gone 'round the bend and is not expected back.

0300 (Post 37) Marketing gone strange ...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 07:28:46 GMT

In Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio, there are two restaurant chains which are obviously competeing with each other. The first is Eat 'n Park, which uses a smiley face as the corporate symbol.

Their competition Kings Family Restaurants needed an idea... and came up with something entertaining, twisted and downright evil. When I first saw it, I became an instant fan.

What else would you use to fight an evil smiley face, but a Frownie ?

0230 (Post 36)

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 06:55:27 GMT

One person has correctly identified the picture. Bravo.

Thinking again on the concept of "what is out there", I present the following from one of my favorite artists:

I've known John Kovalic for quite a long time, and contrary to what my Convention Committee says he does really exist. You can find him at muskrat_john and at dorktowerfeed. In some ways I aspire to be John, he has no ego and yet has a fantastic talent. I still am trying to shed the negative parts of my ego. Wanna buy it ? We got a special today.

John does have a dark side though, he designed this fun little toy which every child (or someone who is childish) should own. Forget the Barbie Doll or GI Joe, this is the toy doll that reflects the future of... dare I say it... mankind itself.

So, I'm still awake. I know one of my sponsors is awake. I'm assuming my monitor is still awake. Who else is out there ? Comment and say hello!

0200 (Post 35) And now for something completely different...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 06:14:31 GMT

I'm not ready to pick the story back up just yet.

Instead, let us play a game. This is a game that we play on "Bomb Shelter Radio", which is a radio program I do. It is on hiatus right now because I'm waiting to see the results of the Internet Radio Royalties Fight. I might talk more about that later.

The game is called "What The F Is That ?" The rules are simple. I will post a link to an image in Google Maps. I will ask a question about the image. The first person to answer the question right, wins... absolutely nothing (It is a zero budget radio show after all).

So here is the link to the image.

The question is "Name two movies that used this (whatever) as a location for filming."

Feel free to post your clarifying questions and possible answers here, all comments will be initially screened.

Good Hunting!

0130 (Post 34) Every once in a while I think everyone sane at NASA has left ...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 06:05:44 GMT

For four years I worked at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The mission I worked on ultimately flew and was a success. Two of the Principal Investigators on the project won the Nobel Prize last year. NASA has often been synonymous with what science is capable of when it is strongly encouraged to reach out and learn more.

Having said that, I look in the news sometimes and think the only folks left at NASA are crazy...

"Alcohol is freely used in crew quarters," the report said. "Two specific instances were described where astronauts had been so intoxicated prior to flight that flight surgeons and/or fellow astronauts raised concerns to local on-scene leadership regarding flight safety. However, the individuals were still permitted to fly."

--- NASA takes swift action after report of astronaut drinking Read the whole thing at CNN

We live in a country where "Drinking and Driving" is considered one of the great evils of society. You have to wonder how a Federal Government Agency would allow someone who was drunk to board and operate a complex aircraft or spacecraft. The mind boggles that ANYONE could overlook that. And yet, it appears that they did.

How many times do people at NASA need to have this slapped in their face. If you ignore a safety issue for any reason, the result will ultimately be disaster and death. This time it was drunkenness. Another time it was O rings.

Attention NASA: We don't need another example of head in the sand here... Do the job right!

0100 (Post 33) Wake Up And Blog Something

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 05:23:39 GMT

The title of this post came from an SMS message that just came through on my phone from one of my sponsors. :-)

Let me tell you a story, it has to do with faith. I'm not sure faith in what yet, but it has to do with that.

I'm a geek. An engineer. A follower of science. I was raised by my wonderful parents in the religion they chose. When I became of a certain age, I wandered away from it. Or I should say, I maintained some of the outlooks and guidelines I was taught. But I didn't understand what to have faith in, and had felt the human elements of the religion were deeply flawed. I lived that way for many years.

Twice in recent memory, something outside of the normal three dimensions picked me up and shook me.

In one case, through a completely improbable set of circumstances I found myself in a position to save a friend of mine who had collapsed (drunk) in a little used part of a building. There is NO VALID REASON I should have found him there. And yet, I was at the right place at the right time and I made a difference.

The second time, I just sat and listened to the stories of the life of a very ill younger woman. For eight years she had been dealing with a bunch of nasty symptoms that didn't have a diagnosis, let alone a cure. Many folks questioned whether or not she was really ill. I just sat and listened to whatever she was willing to tell me because I found it interesting, then again I find most people interesting. At one point, a question just popped into my head. I had asked plenty while listening, and at first this question didn't seem much different from the tons I had asked so far. The question was "Did they ever test you for X ?" The answer was no, but her eyes brightened when she put together the various pieces that had been clear to me at that moment. She vowed to be tested for X the next time she could get a doctor to listen to her. When the test came back, she had a name and a diagnosis for her affliction. I don't consider myself to know much about medicine, but occasionally I can see patterns where others don't. In this case I honestly feel something, someone, some whatever dropped the pieces in front of me so I could see the damn pattern and ask the question. I don't think I would have seen it otherwise.

I don't know what that ...erm... intelligence is yet. But I know it is out there... and perhaps it is worthy to have faith in it.

More Later,
Fuzz

0030 (Post 32) Question

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 04:42:38 GMT

So for those of you in the same boat as me, what are you doing to stay awake at this point ?

Maybe that naked run would be a good idea. Of course, there would have to be ...erm... flash photography :-)

0000 (Post 31) Exhaustion

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 04:39:11 GMT

In the hopes of pacing myself, I spent some time away from the computer. Earlier this week, I went up to the Pennsic War to help set up my camp there. This was a rush job, since I had little vacation time and there was a lot to do. However, I came away from the load-in exhausted. That was Wednesday. I got plenty of sleep since then, but I'm still feeling the effects of the load-in... and I may have a cold.

So, I'm tired. I'm going to do a couple of short posts and see if I can get my second wind. Thanks for sticking with me, I'm going to try and make sure I can stick with you as well.

More in a bit...

Love you all,
Fuzz

2330 (Post 30) Commercial Break

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 03:37:47 GMT

I need to go make an important phone call. So I will leave you with this little item:

Man Sues Over McDonald's Receipt In English
Lawyer Wants 13 Cents

--- Associated Press on WFTV.COM, suggested by FARK.COM

2300 (Post 29) In which we discover that the package...

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 03:24:25 GMT

surria opens the package and finds a...

MEANWHILE... IN ANOTHER PART OF WASHINGTON, DC...

demented_pants strolled down the corridor and through the charred remains of another door. Beyond, a group of soldiers dressed in white plastic armor were herding employees of the RIAA into a stairwell. One soldier walks up to her and states, "The location of the fuzzface01 isn't in the main computer."

demented_pants gestures at one of the Lawyers walking to the stairwell. He suddenly freezes and is dragged by an invisible ~~farce~~ force back to her. She breathed, "Where is the blogger you have stolen ?" Obviously strangling, the lawyer mumbles, "This is a lobbyist building, we are on a commercial mission." Obviously frustrated, she flings her hand away and the Lawyer flies across the hallway smashing into the far wall. He lands in a crumpled pile, dead... from at least the neck up.

"Commander, tear this building apart until you have found that blogger. Bring me the lobbyists... I WANT THEM ALIVE!" demented_pants then kicked down the door into a conference room where, in a previous time line, fuzzface01 stood gulping at the now dead lawyer.

(OK, now you have gone around the bend. You had the RIAA being the Evil Empire, now you have demented_pants as Vader ? This doesn't make ANY sense. So, exactly why does that bother you ? They are entertained.)

2230 (Post 28) Where Oh Where Has Surria Gone ?

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 03:00:56 GMT

surria looked around at the spot where fuzzface01 had been just a second ago. An empty space existed in the morass of wire, building materials, smoke and mirrors where he had been traveling down the tube. "Just great", she thought, "I come looking to rescue him, and now I'm stuck in this tube speeding towards who knows where."

Up ahead, the tube started to grow brighter. surria found herself flying through the air and landing with a massive thump on a green lawn. She found herself surrounded by the flotsam that had been in the tube with her, and the hole that showed this end of the tube simply shrank until it was so tiny as to be invisible. It reminded her of the "hole in my pocket" joke from Yellow Submarine.

A small man in a Laboratory Coat walked over and picked up the singed wire. "This should be perfect for the battery¹ replacement," he exclaimed and wandered away. As a last minute gesture he pointed towards a nearby gate and said "Go that way, don't forget your package at the gate."

surria stood up, looked back at the large White House behind her and started walking to the gate...

¹sekret info

2200 Anomaly

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 02:34:37 GMT

I might have lost that game of Settlers. I am not admitting it. I refuse to admit my problem. NYA!

Meanwhile, back in Northwest DC...

The Time Twister stopped spinning and with it, the room finally came to a rest. It wasn't so much of a room, as it was a Janitor's Closet. It was still a little blurry though. Being impatient with the amount of time it has taken for her to get into the story, demented_pants uses her secret Jedi Decoder ring to vaporize the door. She walks out through the smoldering door frame into the empty hallway in search of prey...