Dear everyone at NECCO,
Regardless of my relationship situation, the one thing I always look forward to on St V's day is candy hearts. At least it was. The new candy hearts are a huge disappointment.
I want the old flavors back in the bags. I loved them, I usually go through 3-5 of the big bags just for myself. This year I'm done with one.
If you have any of the old stuff feel free to send them to the address above, I'll take any that you want to send me.
Sincerely,
The Pete
ps - Chocolate NECCOs still rule, please don't change them.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Friday, October 16, 2009
Balloon boy
Am I the only one whose first thought about this story was - "can this balloon even lift a 6 year old boy?"
Am I the only one who saw the episode of mythbusters where they tried to lift a 4 year old girl with ordinary balloons? It took 3500 of them.
Let's take a look.
From the news videos, the balloon looks about the size of an SUV (15 foot) and about 4 feet tall based on the people around it. Very rough numbers to be sure.
The average weight of a 6 year old boy is about 46.2 lb. Let's say he's a little on the skinny side.
http://obesity.ygoy.com/ideal-weight-and-height-for-boys/
So I looked up the lift of helium:
http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~lecturedemonstrations/Composer/Pages/36.39.html
about 1.02 g / liter
So assuming also that:
Oh, and while we're at it... what makes anyone thing that the structure at the bottom of the balloon was even capable of holding 45-ish pounds? Well, not enough to speculate on that.
I call publicity stunt, and I gotta believe that someone in the National Gaurd thought this too. I don't believe that anyone at CNN was clever enough to wonder about this.
Not only that - if the dad was all about teaching his kids science like he claims, he know exactly how much lift the balloon has. Either he's a lousy science teacher, a lousy dad, or a great media whore. Maybe all three.
Am I the only one who saw the episode of mythbusters where they tried to lift a 4 year old girl with ordinary balloons? It took 3500 of them.
Let's take a look.
From the news videos, the balloon looks about the size of an SUV (15 foot) and about 4 feet tall based on the people around it. Very rough numbers to be sure.
The average weight of a 6 year old boy is about 46.2 lb. Let's say he's a little on the skinny side.
http://obesity.ygoy.com/ideal-weight-and-height-for-boys/
So I looked up the lift of helium:
http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~lecturedemonstrations/Composer/Pages/36.39.html
about 1.02 g / liter
| 4 | Balloon Ht (ft) |
| 15 | Balloon Dis (ft) |
| 706.86 | Volume of Balloon (cu ft) |
| 28.32 | Conversion cu ft to liters |
| 20016.11 | Liters |
| 1.02 | Lift (g/L) |
| 20416.43 | Balloon lift (Grams) |
| 0.002204 | gram to lb |
| 45 | Balloon Lift (lb) |
So assuming also that:
- it was not a warm day
- the structure at the bottom of the balloon did not weigh anything
- they didn't start at a high elevation (BTW Fort Collins is at 5000 ft)
- nothing else was inside of the balloon's structure
Oh, and while we're at it... what makes anyone thing that the structure at the bottom of the balloon was even capable of holding 45-ish pounds? Well, not enough to speculate on that.
I call publicity stunt, and I gotta believe that someone in the National Gaurd thought this too. I don't believe that anyone at CNN was clever enough to wonder about this.
Not only that - if the dad was all about teaching his kids science like he claims, he know exactly how much lift the balloon has. Either he's a lousy science teacher, a lousy dad, or a great media whore. Maybe all three.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
on a rainy night
Imagine this (feel free to substitute girl for guy in your particular fantasy)...
__________
One rainy night, your girlfriend (wife, et al) calls and to announce she's on her way over. Five minutes later, she knocks on the door. When you answer she steps back past the edge of the awning and into the rain. She stands there smiling with one arm extended out, beckoning you. Her hair is slowly matted down by the precipitation, but the smile on her face can't be washed away as you step out in your tee shirt, jeans and bare feet to join her.
Wordlessly, you meet in a kiss. A kiss that lasts until you are both shivering in the downpour. Shaking from the cold or from the excitement of the kiss, you can't tell...
__________
I've had a couple memorable kisses in the rain. None quite like the one my activie imagination just conjured up, but they can be as good as they sound. Trust me on this one. If you find yourself under cloud cover, and you got someone you like kissing... you need no other excuse. In fact, as memory serves, that is the best excuse.
I'll get back to my normal attitude laden blogs soon enough, but tonight my closet romantic has gotten hold of the keyboard. Until then, take my advice, give the story your own twist, and go for it. :)
__________
One rainy night, your girlfriend (wife, et al) calls and to announce she's on her way over. Five minutes later, she knocks on the door. When you answer she steps back past the edge of the awning and into the rain. She stands there smiling with one arm extended out, beckoning you. Her hair is slowly matted down by the precipitation, but the smile on her face can't be washed away as you step out in your tee shirt, jeans and bare feet to join her.
Wordlessly, you meet in a kiss. A kiss that lasts until you are both shivering in the downpour. Shaking from the cold or from the excitement of the kiss, you can't tell...
__________
I've had a couple memorable kisses in the rain. None quite like the one my activie imagination just conjured up, but they can be as good as they sound. Trust me on this one. If you find yourself under cloud cover, and you got someone you like kissing... you need no other excuse. In fact, as memory serves, that is the best excuse.
I'll get back to my normal attitude laden blogs soon enough, but tonight my closet romantic has gotten hold of the keyboard. Until then, take my advice, give the story your own twist, and go for it. :)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
A Quantum of Spectre
I said it when I walked out of the theater after seeing Casino Royale, and I'll say it again after seeing Quantum of Solace - "SPECTRE". (Google it or watch Thunderball)
That has to be what they're building up to, I'll be heart broken if it isn't. Pure genius the way they're doing it too.
People who thought it was plot light didn't see it as the necessary transitional film that it is. It was more subtle on the content than say Moonraker, but also a lot less far flung.
I think Daniel Craig is now my favorite Bond. Yup, better than Connery. I'm glad to see the silly bond girl names as well as Q missing from the new movies. Not because they were bad in their time, but because I like the new approach to Bond (less camp). Those two things would have been way out of place with the new no-nonsense, gritty Bond character. He's still charming, but not so much with the cavalier playboy attitude.
Go see this Quantum of Solace, it'll make the next one even better.
That has to be what they're building up to, I'll be heart broken if it isn't. Pure genius the way they're doing it too.
People who thought it was plot light didn't see it as the necessary transitional film that it is. It was more subtle on the content than say Moonraker, but also a lot less far flung.
I think Daniel Craig is now my favorite Bond. Yup, better than Connery. I'm glad to see the silly bond girl names as well as Q missing from the new movies. Not because they were bad in their time, but because I like the new approach to Bond (less camp). Those two things would have been way out of place with the new no-nonsense, gritty Bond character. He's still charming, but not so much with the cavalier playboy attitude.
Go see this Quantum of Solace, it'll make the next one even better.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Every story of vengence
In the course of any tale of vengeance the protagonist, or rather revenger, is asked, "Would he/she really want this for you? Would he/she want you to be consumed with vengeance?"
I'm going to state for the record, yes.
If a brother / friend / wife / lover / parent were to be filled with an all consuming rage over my death I would be honored. If the dark side of your soul takes over and you feel compelled to bring those who did me wrong to an untimely end, then you have my blessing to take the law into your own hands.
In fact, I'll try to leave you some resources in my will. If you think you might be interested in a position as my future vindicator, feel free to make requests. It's really the least I can do. Won't be a bat mobile or anything, but I'll see what I can come up with - after all, I want you to succeed.
I'm going to state for the record, yes.
If a brother / friend / wife / lover / parent were to be filled with an all consuming rage over my death I would be honored. If the dark side of your soul takes over and you feel compelled to bring those who did me wrong to an untimely end, then you have my blessing to take the law into your own hands.
In fact, I'll try to leave you some resources in my will. If you think you might be interested in a position as my future vindicator, feel free to make requests. It's really the least I can do. Won't be a bat mobile or anything, but I'll see what I can come up with - after all, I want you to succeed.
Monday, November 17, 2008
A game my roommate and I used to play
So I gave Chuck a second chance today. For some reason I've been repulsed by this show. It has always seemed like an insipid cow clothed in a robe of golden thread and put on the cover of Vogue.
I have only seen the show once last year. But today, I was painting upstairs and half watched / half listened to it because I was too lazy to clean up enough to change the channel.
Let me give this synopsis of the very first part of the show - Chuck is a spy (of sorts) who has recently gotten a normal girlfriend. She used to be unwittingly involved with a bad guy as his assistant or some such. Now Chuck and his friends must find some sort of list that will tell the good guys who all of the bad guy's allies & agents are.
Now for the game - made even better by the advent of TiVo. You pause the TV and announce to those watching with you - "I could write this shit". You should try to do this in an obnoxious and bold way, thus making you even more awesome when you are right - and even more of a douche bag when you're wrong.
After said announcement, you must prophesize what will happen next before unpausing the scene to see if you are a Hollywood Nostradamus. Thus you will have earned either the right to gloat because you can peer into the minds of mediocre TV writers, or be derided because you've just made a huge ass of yourself.
I'm pretty sure the average reader here is ready to stop scrolling down and announce - "I could blog this shit"
Like you, I was ready to play after having seen only the intro of Chuck. Even solo, I stopped to announce to the paint drying around me - Chuck's girlfriend would get involved in the plot to uncover the list, but in an endearing way that would make her seem more trustworthy. Then at the very end of the episode she would be alone with Chuck and we would discover that she was among the enemies of the Chuck's spy agency.
Sometimes this game is too easy.
Pete: 1
Chuck: 0
So now you have a new game to play with your TiVo. I'm sure one of you clever blokes could also make it into a drinking game if you were so inclined. Good luck, and good luck finding a TV show that will actually stump you.
I have only seen the show once last year. But today, I was painting upstairs and half watched / half listened to it because I was too lazy to clean up enough to change the channel.
Let me give this synopsis of the very first part of the show - Chuck is a spy (of sorts) who has recently gotten a normal girlfriend. She used to be unwittingly involved with a bad guy as his assistant or some such. Now Chuck and his friends must find some sort of list that will tell the good guys who all of the bad guy's allies & agents are.
Now for the game - made even better by the advent of TiVo. You pause the TV and announce to those watching with you - "I could write this shit". You should try to do this in an obnoxious and bold way, thus making you even more awesome when you are right - and even more of a douche bag when you're wrong.
After said announcement, you must prophesize what will happen next before unpausing the scene to see if you are a Hollywood Nostradamus. Thus you will have earned either the right to gloat because you can peer into the minds of mediocre TV writers, or be derided because you've just made a huge ass of yourself.
I'm pretty sure the average reader here is ready to stop scrolling down and announce - "I could blog this shit"
Like you, I was ready to play after having seen only the intro of Chuck. Even solo, I stopped to announce to the paint drying around me - Chuck's girlfriend would get involved in the plot to uncover the list, but in an endearing way that would make her seem more trustworthy. Then at the very end of the episode she would be alone with Chuck and we would discover that she was among the enemies of the Chuck's spy agency.
Sometimes this game is too easy.
Pete: 1
Chuck: 0
So now you have a new game to play with your TiVo. I'm sure one of you clever blokes could also make it into a drinking game if you were so inclined. Good luck, and good luck finding a TV show that will actually stump you.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
A special kind
Every once in a while, you come across a special kind of asshole. One that just stands out as special, at least in the moment. Today, I was driving behind a guy in a Prius who threw a cigarette butt from the window. Really dude? Isn't that like a vegetarian who likes making sausage?
That guy is the special kind of asshole I'm referring to. He was probably on the way to the pound to kick some puppies after having just recycled all his plastic waste.
That guy is the special kind of asshole I'm referring to. He was probably on the way to the pound to kick some puppies after having just recycled all his plastic waste.
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