Aparatchik.

Zizou! Zizou!

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 23:18:00 +0000

He'll always be a great footballer... Materazzi-thrasher or not!

Engine swapping Part 2

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 23:03:00 +0000

Ok, so I imagine that this is one of those things that become easier once you've done it once. Because I'll tell ya, the first time is a BITCH! Mind you, my driveway isn't level, which didn't help with stabilizing the hoist. In addition, the hoist did not have a leveler, which also didn't help matters. But all good things take time... old engine's out, new engine's in, just gotta wrap things up. I now feel all sortsa intimate with my automobile.

Engine swapping

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 23:38:00 +0000

Never done it... I hear it's doable. Swap an M10 in a 1970 BMW 2002. Need to. Mine is dead. My driveway's oily.

The Science of Spoon-Bending

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 17:42:00 +0000

Thank the Lord (irony intended) that there are still reasonable, rational, people out there who understand the distinction between science and religion, church and state. Over 70,000 Australian scientists (who knew there were THAT many scientists in Australia?!) signed their name to a letter indicating that Intelligent Design "fails to qualify on every count as a scientific theory."

My favorite quote: "To allow the theory to be taught as science would make a mockery of Australian science teaching and throw open the door of science classes to similarly unscientific world views such as astrology, spoon-bending, flat-earth cosmology or alien abductions"

How strict are Oz's immigration laws these days? They've got scientists with humor there!! Go spoon-bending!!

defiantly, decidedly, dreadful.

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 21:59:00 +0000

You wonder, what with all the fuss about American education standards, public schools being crap, slipping rankings internationally, etc...

You wonder.

Well... at least -I- wonder... why the hell the majority of the native speakers in this country can't spell to save their lives! The word is:

DEFINITELY, derived from 'define'.

not:

DEFINATELY
DEFINATLY
DEFINATLEY
DEFENITLY
DEFENATELEY

and definitely not:

DEFIANTLY.

For cryin' out loud, people...

The CultureSluts Podcast

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 00:50:00 +0000

Damn 'm... Giggin with Shaun R?! Lucky sods!! HALLELUJAH!! :)

Are these earthquake-proof?

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 20:27:00 +0000

I love the idea of living in a modern home, will all the accoutrements, and the added safety of being on the water. As long as tsunamis stay out, this should be pretty comfy living! Now, how do you get one from Sweden to the West Coast?

Brainwashing, ferreal, yo.

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 16:55:00 +0000

And here I thought that The Ipcress File and A Clockwork Orange were just figments of twisted imagination, inspired by Cold War hysteria or Moloko-induced madness... As Slate reports in The Birth of Soft Torture, it turns out that there's a lengthy history of government-sponsored experimentation of breaking down the human Self, not only in Nazi Germany, but even in placid, pleasant Canada!

Can I start my wishlist for Christmas 2006 NOW?!

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 19:32:00 +0000

If so, there's only one thing I want. I know, I know... modesty is a virtue. Please, honey?

Holy Enzo!

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 23:55:00 +0000

wow.

Fascination of the day

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 22:58:00 +0000

Today, I like vinyl. As in vinyl toys. Let out the inner child, in a dada sorta way. Want an example?

Kid Robot has this wicked cool 7" tall WTO protester toy. What a sweet way to battle against the New World Order! By buying imported art toys. I love 'm...

How long must I scream?

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 17:55:00 +0000

I've been saying for years that I have absolutely no vested interest in internal combustion (save the jokes). If someone had the guts and gumption to build a car powered by chocolate, facial cleanser, or Bozo the Clown, I'd be fine with it as long as it was a fast, well-handling, cool-looking sportscar.

It looks like finally folks are catching on to this, at least on a conceptual level. Case in point: VW 's EcoRacer, presented to the public at the Tokyo Auto Show, which is not only small and agile, but looks the business as well. Can it beat the Solstice for time-to-market? Will it ever GET to market?!

500 pound gorillas

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 15:47:00 +0000

Ok, so now a doc is in trouble for telling a 5'7", 250lbs woman she was... err... obese. I guess that, with almost two-thirds of the US population now being overweight, a collective ignoring of writing on the wall will reach epic proportions.

In other news... no more beer!

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Thu, 11 Aug 2005 18:32:00 +0000

Hailing from the Old World, I have a strong affinity for Belgian monastic beers. Unfortunately, I'm not alone in this... After winning the World's Best Beer award, these lucky prayer-brewers have run out of ale! I guess that frees them up to spend more time on their core competency(as they perceive it)...

Ocean's Eight!

blog@aparatchik.com (Aparatchik) — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 17:32:00 +0000

A gang of industrious Brazilian miscreants managed to dig a tunnel the length of two city blocks to relieve a bank of the contents of its vault. It's The Great Escape vs. The Great Train Robbery!!

Story here