"Adult Swim Porn"... Damnit, This Isn't Going To Help

Forgive typos/spelling/punctuation errors, I got a couple stiff drinks in me. Babysitting, you know.

Anyways, my slightly-obsessive-blogs-stats revue once again shows that most of my site traffic is a result of one of two things:

1. People from India looking for info on the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple (Hello India: especially Chennai, Delhi, New Delhi, and Hyderabad.)
2. People looking for "Adult Swim Porn."

So here is an open letter to Cartoon Network, the folks responsible for the lovely Adult Swim block of programing;

Dear CN,

Oh, how I love you. In addition to much of Adult Swim, I do love Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.

Due to the unfortunate suggestion that most AS shows sound like porn (Frisky Dingo, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the Venture Brothers) and subsequent blogging of such suggestion, a sizable percentage of traffic to my site is looking for "Adult Swim Porn."

So I ask, please make some. Some hot Frylock on Master Shake action. Let Brock go all the way with Molotov Cocktease, Frisky Dingo night-vision orgy!

Just get the pervy fan boys away from me.

Thanks,
Rob

Wednesday Night Photo Post: #1 @ The Guggenheim LV

#1, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

The Crimson Eye And Other Toys for the Tot

crimson, originally uploaded by spooky daddy.

weary, originally uploaded by pomly.

IMG_3989, originally uploaded by mooseandbear.

The Simple Joys of A Domesticated House Husband

What is happiness? A $7.01 Dyson vacuum cleaner. How?...

Careful labeling of
credit cards, by the missus,

detailing bonus point programs

+

Years of buying groceries and
other typical expenses,
getting lots
of bonus
points

⇒

Many dollars in redeemed
Bed, Bath and Beyond
gift cards

+

20% off
Bed, Bath and Beyond
coupon

+

$7.01

=

It has this high-design fussiness that I both like and concerned me (might it be a delicate British sportscar instead of a blander, more robust Honda?) Subsequent use has proven it worry-free. Cleans like a trooper, easy to navigate, and easy to clean.

We also recently won an eBay auction, ending up with a beautiful Danish-Modern America-made bedroom set. It had transformed our bedroom into one of the best looking rooms we now have. It's also the last major furniture purchases we plan on. It looks like it had one owner, the nightstands still have their tags in them.

With a broken TV, the tantalizing promise of a flat screen is in the air. But I won't push too hard on that one for now. My dream would be a flat-screen TV with a custom-made teak surround that would blend with the Danish Mod living room furnishings we have. A Craigslist replacement may be bought in the meantime.

Yet with all these purchases, no guilt. Frugal living allows for the occasional indulgence. Plus, it's hard to feel bad when the newly-bought items look so good.

The Strange and Historical in Houston & Texas

Castle Golf Houston Texas, originally uploaded by ThisIsIt2.

Abandoned But Not Forgotten's entry on the now-destroyed Abandoned Malibu Grand Prix mini park. Houston Flickr photographer ThisIsIt2 shot a few pictures of the mini-golf site's last day.

Photos of Abandoned Buildings of Downtown Houston on tabblo.com.

Gorgeous photo of blimps in long-gone hanger... [Four K-type airships docked in the hangar at Hitchcock Naval Air Station]. Map, info and updated photos on Waymarking.com.

Oh, what fun there was to be had in the abandoned Savoy Hotel in 2004...
Houston Architecture Info Forum - HAIF� > The Savoy

The Virtual Museum of Texas' Cultural Heritage (UT Austin) - Texas Beyond History

Saving the best for last, somewhere in Texas (unconfirmed,) an underground rocket points at the center of the earth waiting to be fired.

Reading Is Fun-damental: Monster Hunter from Texas

In an attempt to reverse a certain lack of book-reading, I have turned to the internet and my sweet wife to help me retain some level of literacy. I have created a Goodreads account, with lists of previously-read, currently-reading, and hope-to-read-in-future books. It's turned into my default place to list all the books of which I have read reviews and recommendations. I've also been scavenging WorldCat for book info. It's great for locating books, and libraries that have them available, within a specified distance. In fact, I've had better luck finding books in the Houston Public Library system (and other nearby libraries) using Worldcat than with HPL's own search engine. My wife is also offering to borrow books from college/university resources to which I wouldn't otherwise have access. This is one of the many benefits of marrying a college professor.

So, what's on my radar? Three books about Texas oilman Tom Slick. He liked petroleum, world peace and large monsters (wikipedia entry & Cryptomundo post).

King of the wildcatters the life and times of Tom Slick, 1883-1930

". . . The growth of Slick's oil business paralleled that of the modern petroleum industry. He began his career in the oil fields of western Pennsylvania before 1910. Failures there prompted his move to Oklahoma. In 1912 he received the financial backing to drill one more well, which turned out to be the discovery well for the vast Cushing Field. In 1929 he sold his Oklahoma holdings in the Prairie Oil and Gas Company—the largest sale of oil properties by an individual to that date. . ."

Catherine Nixon Cooke: Tom Slick Mystery Hunter!

". . .Slick created five scientific research foundations, developed new species of cattle and grasses, discovered major oil fields, loved several beautiful women, searched for the "Abominable Snowman", wrote two books on world peace, and produced several inventions that changed the world. . . all before he died in 1962 at 46 years old. . ."

Tom Slick: True Life Encounters in Cryptozoology

". . . Fascinating accounts of Slick's early brushes with adventure (such as his stepfather's abduction by George "Machine Gun" Kelly in 1933, and his early explorations of Loch Ness) are followed by his later expeditions into Nepal and the Pacific Northwest in search of the Yeti and its counterpart, the Sasquatch. . ."

Houston Maritime Museum

Houston Maritime Museum, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Houston Maritime Museum 2007 - a photoset on Flickr

After an unexpectedly short day doing some art installation, the rest of my schedule was wide open. I hit the Houston Maritime Museum. I planned on the Houston Fire Museum as well, but the rain kept me off the road and away from the city's bad drivers. I did get a call returned from the Telephone Museum. Groups of ten or more can schedule tours but the lone visitor only had three hours on Tuesdays to see the sites. I hate mornings, but I may get up for telephones on display.

Pictures, Posts and Auto-Publishing

Hooray for scheduled blogging!

Years ago, Blogger allowed for post-dated posts and auto-publishing, but they broke it. Now, they've reintroduced it. So, with that there will be a new feature on my blog, "Wednesday Night Photo Posts." Every Wednesday (an arbitrarily chosen day,) a new post with a Flickr picture of mine. I had been reluctant to post some Flickr pictures in the past due to my layout mangling the photo display. That problem was solved, and now with auto publishing, more pretty pictures of mine will be making a regular appearance. I may also be doing a semi-regularly photo-posts of other peoples Flickr pictures. So much good stuff out there.

For my few readers, enjoy.

Hole in the Walls: Utah & Cappadocia, Turkey

Hole N' The Rock, originally uploaded by bielanko-photography.

IMG_3488 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
"Gamirasu Cave Hotel, Ayvali Village - Cappadocia, Middle Anatolian Region of Turkey.

1960's Underground house, Las Vegas

Late Night Viewing: PBS Online

The first generation of kids with the internet... FRONTLINE: growing up online

Just watched the whole thing as my little one slept (or didn't.) Food for thought. Makes me happy I'm blogging, maybe slightly more prepared. But there are years to come.

Jeez, kid. Sleep already!

Buffalo Pharmacy - Houston, TX

Buffalo Pharmacy - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Always wanted to snap a picture of this place. Now I did.

3118 Bissonnet St.
Houston, TX

Lite Brite Trucks: Decotora Trucks from Japan

I am looking forward to the Houston Art Car Parade on May 10th. Got it on the calendar and everything. Might even try to trick the stroller out a bit. Baby's first art car.

While waiting for that day, I would love to be thumbing through photographer Masaru Tatsuki book Decotora.

From the “Decotora” photo book. © Masaru Tatsuki

Documenting the unique trucker culture in Japan, these stunning trucks roam the streets and highways of the island country. When we moved to Atlanta, I joked these are what Vegas moving trucks look like. He's got a show in Tokyo's Little More Chika gallery. Looks like a perfect fit for the Art Car Museum.

I'd love to see a night-time continuation of the art car parade with a convoy of these trucks heading down Allen Parkway. Maybe the Orange Show Foundation can do some outreach to the truck drivers that own these crazy beasts.

But can't find the book for purchase in the US. Grrrr....

* * * * * * * * * * * *

• Photo galleries on Pink Tentacle
• Post from Dark Roasted Blend
• Blog entry with great collection of Japanese decorated trucks
• Gallery of Decotora trucks

The Last New Computer I Will Ever Own

MW07SF_ModBook-Create_web.jpg, originally uploaded by powerpage.

I've been told there might be a new computer for me in the near future. "My last computer," the one that would keep me from bitching about not having "whatever" it is that I would need to be happy. I'm the kind of guy that goes, "This is great but you know what would make it better..." That can't be the case with a big-ticket item.

So, I'm looking at the ModBook, a converted MacBook slate-style PC running OS X. Produced as an Apple-authorized product, all the Apple-made components are cover by their warranty. This lovely beast would make me quite happy. Lot of people posting about the delays in shipping, has me taking a hard look before leaping. That and my lack of money.

This is the computer and peripherals of my dreams:

ModBook (Faster model) - $2,479.00
Extra Battery -$129
Apple Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard - $79.00
MIDI Keyboard (Maybe M-Audio Oxygen 49) $189.00 new
Bluetooth Headphones - $49 and up
Laptop Carry Case - about $100
Portable Stand - ???

Total - $3,050 and that's not including shipping or software. 'Xpensive? yes. Happy making? YES! Only the future will tell if I have this sweet machine as the last new Apple (barring terrible technology tragedy) I will ever have.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Axiotron - producers of the customized equipment
Other World Computing - America source for ModBooks
ModBook Blog - comprehensive site created while waiting for their ModBook to arrive.
ModBook Gallery Forums - Talk, talk, talk.

ModBook Owners. I'm reading them for reviews and opinions...

Emma
Wally
Modbook Junction

Historical Houston

Roll-N at night, originally uploaded by ThisIsIt2.

A late-night Google search for info on the Roll-N Bar led to the discovery of Houstorian, a nice blog about historical things Houston. The Roll-N was part of Houstorian's attempt to discover the oldest bar in town. That title goes to Leon's, another of the city's watering holes that I have yet to have a drink in.