Hither and thither 8/31/2012

Another busy week, in a good way. Mostly lots of graphics at first, but I'll try to update the text sections until noon, Texas-time.

Well then, let's get this par-tay started!

• With my birthday looming I present to you, without comment, the 500 pound Darth Vader birthday cake.
• Well, except to note in passing that it'd take at least a day or two to eat that.
• The Artist Formerly Known as "Scooter" (Scott Welch) sent me a video about hamsters, saying it had him in tears. I wasn't optimistic. Hamsters. How funny can hamsters be? Turns out... pretty darned funny.
• There are a lot of metaphors lurking there as well, I think.
• This is for Josiah: a picture of forgotten firearms that just didn't catch on.
• My boys will nod:

• ...and...

• Nice move, Dr. Species-Suicide: the next step towards Our Coming Robot Overlords is being taken...now.
• Around here, we already know that coffee is a health food. So's chocolate.
• (All female BibChr readers: "Duh!")

• Mm-mm. DAOD and dear wife will like.

• Now, inevitably, to some politics.
• Frank Turk did a very solid post at Pyro today about the math of voting. I commend it. But even almost more than the column, I commend this comment from Frank. It's a masterpiece of succinctness. In it, he pretty must says everything I said at much greater length in this post, but he does it in just a few dozen words.
• Ann Romney gave a pretty powerful speech at the GOP convention. I know it isn't a central issue, but still — show of hands: who rather likes the idea of having a First Lady who isn't constantly angry, bitter and meddlesome, and who didn't just start being proud of America when her husband got nominated for yet another position for which he was unqualified? Who thinks being a wife and a mother and a grandmother (of unaborted "punishments") is a pretty great thing, and who likes to talk about what a great guy her husband is?
• Everybody makes mistakes. That's not avoidable. But you do want to learn from them and not repeat them. For that reason, I'm always so embarrassed for people who still have Obama bumper stickers. They tell the world that they still haven't learned from a terrible mistake. But thankfully here are some folks who have.
• Note too that they say the important thing: not only that they won't vote for Obama again, but that they will vote for Romney. Otherwise, it's meaningless.
• I think the most important thing anyone said Wednesday night at the convention was Gov. Susana Martinez' tale of how she and her husband switched from Democrats to Republicans (warning: one profanity). Think of it: two people took the time, just talked with Martinez and her husband... and a conservative Republican governor was born. I hope a lot of people heard that. I hope a lot of that goes on, or starts happening.
• Here's a highlight reel from Romney's speech.
• This is so emblematic. National hero (who actually accomplished positive feats) Neil Armstrong passed away, and our president noted his passing by releasing a picture of...himself.

• How can you parody that?
• Evidence that Ryan scored a number of direct-hits. My favorite lines include this, this, and this. THOSE are going to leave a mark among the rational.

• Changing gears.
• Important True Fact:

• Bill Nye, the Lockstep, Uncritical, Doctrinaire Propagandist Guy. You've probably seen Nye's attempt to shame and intimidate everyone into agreeing with his religious perspective on origins.
• There have been many responses, including evangelist Tony Miano's very long one.
• My response would be brief: "Mr. Nye, would you say that the transcript of your plea to accept evolution is representative of how factual, unbiased, and logically coherent the case for evolution is?" If the answer is "No," then there's our in. If "Yes," then we start with the first paragraph, where he says that the US is the most technologically advanced nation in the world, and it is being held back by being the only nation that denies evolution." Huh? Diagram that logic for us, would you, Mr. Nye?
• In other news...
• Hm. On E-Bay?

• Reformation Day is approaching, with all its opportunities for celebrating the Gospel and its recovery and proclamation. And then, er... there's this. You, you know, get you in the mood. Or something. (Gil Sebenste)
• Never cared much for synth drums.

• Finally got our freezer stocked for the remainder of the Texas summer.

• Okay, not really ours.
• Never forget: nothing contradicts, corrects, or even interrupts the liberal narrative. Not facts, reason, logic, reality — NOTHING. 
• Kerry Garrett points us to a trailer for Robot Chicken's coming Star Wars Detours show. You'll love it at least at 0:50 and following.
• And, staying with that theme:

• Don't like Internet Explorer? Evidently you're not alone. (Gil Sebenste)
• Just about every parent will love this and want to expand the referent. Kids, maybe not so much:

• And so, in parting. In case our regular Coming Robot Overlord updates make you nervous, don't be. Really, it's all in good fun. There's nothing to worry about.

• ...plus these:

Happy weekend, y'all.

THE USUALS WILL BE OBSERVED