The Tartan Wave: A History Of Scottish Surfing

Just a cool article, with such interesting facts like the one that the Princess Victoria Ka'iulani Cleghorn was half-Scottish, as well as being the niece of Princess Lili'uokalani, and a talented surfer.

And I guess I could count myself as a Scottish surfer too, because I do have some Scottish blood (MacQueen clan), and I have been surfing. :D


Hmm, I actually just googled "MacQueen" to get a link to use, but I'm learning some rather interesting things.
"The McQueens probably originate from Vikings who settled on Skye in Scotland."
Vikings are cool, as is the island we named our puppy after. So is the clan motto, "Constant and faithful," and the clan badge, with a wolf rampant holding an arrow.
Also described elsewhere as "A wolf rampant ermine holding a pheon gules paint downward argent."
Judge for yourself.

I like it.

Or there's this version.

I think the first one looks nicer, but maybe that's just because it's cleaner. Perhaps I'll use a vector program to reproduce it so I can blow up the image.

Pictures from Rhinelander!

Taken by my mom.

All downloadable from Picasa Web Albums.

The De-Deification of America

Hat Tip to The Happy Catholic

More Picasa Web Albums!

Pictures taken in 2000

Pictures from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center
(we went on the Space Shot and G-force rides)

Comments here and on the web albums are welcome, and if anyone needs an invitiation to a Gmail account feel free to email me and I'll be happy to send one.

N. Korea Launches Attack Against Sea of Japan

From ScrappleFace

by Scott Ott

(2006-07-05) — North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il today acknowledged that he had ordered yesterday’s missile strikes against the Sea of Japan in response to what he called “threatening and provocative movements” that the body of water had made against his nation’s coastline.

U.S. sources said that as many seven missiles, including one long-range, short-flight Taepodong 2, penetrated the surface of the sea in a terrifying display of North Korean ballistic technology prowess.

“This clearly demonstrates our status as a global superpower,” said Mr. Kim, “The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea is quite capable of raining fire from the sky upon any body of water that approaches our shores, or even thinks about it.”

The North Korean leader said the attack should “put other seas on notice that our precision-guided munitions can strike you at any time.”

Meanwhile, China made a “goodwill gesture” aimed at gaining Mr. Kim’s trust and ending the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula by offering to provide replacements for the expended missiles.

“The people of North Korea can barely eat,” said an unnamed China spokesman, “So where would they get the money to buy new missiles? We consider this a humanitarian offer.”

This was the funniest take on the missle launch I've seen yet.

Escher's Kind of Town

I always thought Chicago was a cool city, but I didn't know parts were designed by M. C. Escher