Life of Smiley

Body Worlds 2: Opens July 30 at Boston's Museum of Science. Check out the video -- it could easily be a trailer for this summer's next horror flick.

Just thought this was funny. http://www.babybushtoys.com/

One thing that duct tape can't do: hold up 3,000-lb. slabs of concrete. Bolts have falled (sic) out before epoxy sets,” one inspector for the management firm Bechtel/ Parsons Brinckerhoff wrote in November 1994. “Crew is now using duct tape to hold bolt to ceiling.” - Crews used duct tape to hold up slabs

Greed. One of the seven deadly sins, greed also seems to be the underlying principle of many (all?) commercial enterprises. From the shareholders' perspective, at least, this is a good thing. We all want as much return on our investment as possible. But when a company's profits come at the cost of severe financial (even physical) harm to the consumer or taxpayer, that enterprise has crossed the line from commercial to criminal, and it must be stopped (see: Enron). In the case of Bechtel, the corruption that led to billions of dollars in cost overruns for Boston's Big Dig project has now resulted in the death of an innocent commuter. If Bechtel's criminal negligence was not apparent before, surely it is now laid bare. Emotional Farewell to Tunnel Victim Workmanship and design of tunnel are called into question I can't imagine anybody signing off on a design of suspending 3-ton concrete panels such that the failure of any one hanger would lead to 12 tons of concre...

An increase in global temperatures will lead to an intensification of the hydrological cycle. This is because an increase in surface air temperature causes an increase in evaporation and generally higher levels of water vapor in the atmosphere. In addition, a warmer atmosphere is capable of holding more water vapor. The excess water vapor will in turn lead to more frequent heavy precipitation when atmospheric instability is sufficient to trigger precipitation events. Intense precipitation can result in flooding, soil erosion, landslides, and damage to structures and crops. Early Warning Signs For the 2006 north Atlantic hurricane season, NOAA is predicting 13 to 16 named storms, with eight to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which four to six could become 'major' hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher. NOAA PREDICTS VERY ACTIVE 2006 NORTH ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON

Ebell spoke about the "scientific activists" having their agendas, how global warming is good for them because it keeps their research projects well funded. You know what? He's probably right, although I'd argue that this is money well spent. Everybody's got an agenda these days; this is no selfless age. A free market, über alles, is CEI's agenda. People who believe in letting market forces create some kind of equilibrium believe in it absolutely. I don't happen to share that view. But ideology isn't the point. The health of the planet -- our only planet -- that's the point. What can we conclude? How about this: Even if it's not 100 percent certain that we're rushing headlong toward some kind of ecological tipping point -- even if there's room for argument -- why argue at all? Look. Something is happening out there. What matters here is the planet, not whose economic system prevails. Can an unfettered free market settle things? Great, u...

FX has some of my favorite shows on television: 30 Days   Season 2 premieres Wednesday, July 26 at 10PM Good show from Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me). Last season he only did the first and last episodes. I'd like to see him do more, but I guess he has a life. The Shield   Season 6 begins early 2007 Actually I'm not as crazy about this one as some people are, but I still recognize it as a cut above. Over There Ah, crap, this was cancelled due to low ratings. I'm holding all of you responsible. Rescue Me   Tuesdays 10PM Now in season 3, it's not as good as it's ever been, but it's still entertaining. Tommy Gavin is my hero. Sprinkle in some guy movies and syndicated re-runs, and I probably watch FX as much as any other channel. So, can we take up a collection or something and buy them an HD feed? Isn't FX owned by Rupert Murdoch the multi-billionaire? WTF? Maybe this isn't even up to FX but just Comcast being Comcastic. I want to know.

Last October I hinted that I didn't agree with the general consensus of how United Airlines Flight 93 came to an end on 9/11. Since then the story of UA 93 has been made into a feature film, and a damn good one. Credit writer/director Paul Greengrass for keeping the drama in check, with just the right sense of urgency and deadly seriousness. When a director can take a story to which everyone more or less knows the ending and still manage to keep the audience riveted right up to the end, he knows what he's doing (see: James Cameron, Titanic, highest grossing film of all time). United 93 has been widely praised , in large part for its faithful recreation of the day's events. And this is why I feel compelled to rant. If you haven't done so already, check out the Complete 911 Timeline for United Airlines Flight 93. Specifically: 9:58 a.m.: Ed Felt Said to Describe Explosion and White Smoke from Bathroom Call (Before 10:06 a.m.): Fighters Trailing Flight 93? (Before...